Can You Handle the Consequences of Change
by Speklez
Summary: Five years after New Moon, Jasper is back in the south. Due to his Second in Command, things come about that will change the vampire world forever. *Repost* Rated for all the naughty things.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay party peeps... One quick note.**

 **This was my VERY FIRST story, and, over the course of it, you will see my evolution as an author, as well as my shift in who it is I like within the Twiverse. I started this story in 2010, and it was completed in November of 2012. It has NOT been overhauled, and most of it was never beta'ed. It has had some basic editing to it, but nothing huge. Nothing was removed. It is going up as it was when it was taken down.**

 **A WORD OF WARNING...**

 **If you are a** ** _NEW READER_** **, as in, you found me AFTER I pulled and reposed my stories, this story will PISS YOU OFF. If you do not like the idea of mate training, or you don't like misogynists, THIS STORY WILL PISS YOU OFF. I don't wanna hear it, because this is your warning.**

 **Jasper is not a nice guy. He is an asshole, and it doesn't change for the vast majority of the story. He has very few, if any, redeeming qualities. You will hate him, and you'll likely hate me for what I do with him, and ultimately, to him. Again, this is your warning, so no bitching at me for it.**

 **That said, this story is mostly in Jasper's POV. It will be marked otherwise, and starting in chapter 28, it switches to 3rd person and finishes out that way, because, again, this story changes as I made my evolution as an author. You'll get to see the good, bad, and the ugly as I found myself as a story teller.**

 **I'll let you get to it, but keep in mind, this is 'Darksper', and he's a cock.**

 **~Speklez**

 ***X***

If there is anything on this planet that I fucking hate, besides cheating little pixie ex wives, it's goddamned newborns, strong as shit and fucking moody. Let me clarify, by moody I mean think of them as a chick with both pregnancy hormones and the worst case of PMS. Ever. But I digress. My job as the resident empath is to keep the fuck faces under control. Not an easy thing to do. It would be easier to shit a monkey than keep them under control. They kick, punch, scream, and fucking bite. Hard. Ever been bitten by a dog? Yeah this is worse.

Now every few decades I get one that stands out. Either they have a gift or they don't live very long. I had one once that only lived 15 minutes. A personal best. But that son of a bitch tried to take away my current conquest. There are two things that you do NOT do. You do not attack the mistress Maria, and you do not under any circumstances fuck with my pussy.

Who am I you ask? Why is my fuck buddy good enough to be defended to the literal death? I am Jasper fucking Whitlock, the God of War, and the most feared mother fucker to ever grace the vampire world. I took a break for a few decades, but now I'm back and more pissed off than ever. Some say that I am nothing more than a slave driver, making newborns bend to the will of my mistress, well, that's because we never met. Even the Volturi don't fuck with me. And in my world that's saying something.

But again I digress. Back to what I was talking about before I got off topic. Newborns. I hate 'em, with every fiber of my being. But just because I don't like the animal wannabes does not mean I do not like my job. Quite the opposite really, I love it. My second in command, Peter, seems to think that I take it to seriously at times, I disagree. He is not on the front lines during their training. Battle, yes, at my side at all times. Training though, fuck no. That Yoda freak 90 present of the time is nowhere to be found. Still cannot believe I was able to convince him and his mate to come bake with me. I am not sure if it was just keep an eye on me or what but it's just like old times and I could not be happier than I am right now. Back in my real element, not trying to be something I'm not. It's fucking great.

I am currently waiting for the five that are changing right now to wake up. Should be about six hours or so from now for the first one to come to. That is just about my favorite part. The very first they see in this life is me, and it scares the shit out of them. Newborn instincts are much sharper that of an older vampire but both know I am not one to fuck with. My entire upper body is cover with battle scars. For those that do not know what those are, they are bite marks. It shows how many others of our kind I have fought and how many I have killed. Everyone that sees me is on edge right off the bat. And let me tell you, there is no better way to get your aggression out than a newborn that first wakes up and attacks. Hence why I love it so much.

I was pulled from my mental musing by a knock on my cabin door.

"Major, the first one is about to wake up. I say within the next three minutes."

With a smirk I pulled off the black wife beater I was wearing and walked behind Peter to the changing tent. Brand new newborn. Yippy ki fucking yay.


	2. Chapter 2

I stood there staring at this little slip of a girl with a raised eyebrow. She had long brown hair, and by long I mean she is going to end up sitting on it. Full red lips with the bottom one just a little fuller than the top. It would give a pouty look to her. She looks to be about 5'4, and when human would have been 110 fully dressed and soaking wet. As I said, a slip of a girl, but slightly familiar. There is no way in hell she could be worth anything.

I shifted my gaze from her to my captain standing on the other side of her, lifting my brow a little bit higher. I didn't have to say a word. He knew I was asking 'what the fuck'.

"What? You said that if we came back with you, you would not question how I do my job if I don't get in the middle of yours like I did the last time. Besides, I got a feeling about her. Sure she's tiny but so is Char and you know how good of a fighter she is. When I walked up to her she showed no fear at all. None. Everyone does unless they want to die." That sounds strangely familiar as well.

"Okay you Yoda jackass, I get the reason, I do, but for the love of fuck, are you kidding me? I think your magic 8 ball is broken or some shit. Or it's a different kind of feeling that you have about her. What would your wife say?"

The smug dick smirked. "Oh, I know what she would say. Can I join? You know that as much as I do Asshole." This is very true. I bowed my head in acknowledgement. Then looked at my watch.

"The fuck Caption? You said three minutes almost thirty minutes ago. I swear to god I am going to…" Now he knows better than that.

"Shh. Listen Major. What do you hear?"

I looked at him for a second before I heard it, or rather didn't hear it? Ah, no heart beat. The little shit has been lying there for the past half hour doing abso-fucking-luty nothing. Hasn't even taken that first unneeded breath yet. What is she doing? Peter and I stood there for another twenty minutes before I started to get annoyed. Then something dawned on me. Perhaps she didn't survive the change. She still hasn't moved and I can't feel anything from her. Truly a first for me, I always feel something. I can't say I like it.

"If you don't like it, stay the fuck out of my emotions. Simple." What. The. Fuck?

"Do I have to spell it out for you? S. t. a. y. o. u. t. o. f. m. y. f. u. c. k. i. n. g. e. m. o. t. i. o. n. s."

Now I am sure I looked like a deer caught in headlights. Eyes bugging out, slacked jawed, just fucking dumbstruck. I looked up at Peter and he had the same look on his face. We looked back at the girl and saw that she finally opened her eyes. But she had yet to look at either of us. Too busy looking at everything else to notice the two vampires that she rendered completely speechless.

Peter found his voice before I did "Are you fucked in the head? Really, do you have a death wish? This is the God of War you are talking to like that?" he asked her.

"God of War?" She said like it left a bad taste in her mouth. "All I see is a pussy."

See, that right there, is the type of shit I was talking about. I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head to the side. "A pussy huh? That's a new one. I may be a lot of things little girl, but a pussy is not one of them."

She sat up and locked eyes with me. Again, another first. "Are you not? I don't know who the fuck you think you're talking to, but one of two things is going on and they both make you a worthless lying piece of shit."

I looked at Peter again "Anything to do with your 'feelin' fucker?"

This girl really does not know when to shut the fuck up. "Don't even get me started on that smug son of a bitch. I mean really who hits on anyone when they are married. I mean what is it with you vampires. You get something good, like a woman that worships the ground you walk on, and you give them the runaround. Really, what the fuck!" Okay, now she has my attention.

"What is your name newborn?"

"Don't take that tone with me. Just because someone else did what you were too weak to do five years ago so does not mean you get to be a dick now Jasper Hale." And there it is.

"Caption, get out. NOW! You and your goddamned feelings, really." Peter turned around to leave but a thought accrued to me, "And Peter, we will talk later, yeah? Say my cabin in ten minutes?" He gulped, nodded, and left without saying anything else. I closed my eyes and took a really fucking deep breath, held it, and let it back out as I turned back to the girl that the last time I saw I snapped at. "Isabella, what the fuck are you doing in Mexico?" Wrong thing to say I guess. With that one sentence, she lunged.


	3. Chapter 3

I have been doing this for decades, I know what to expect from newborns, but for some reason I did not see the coming. When she got within striking distance she did not hesitate to land a solid punch right to my jaw. Not that it hurt mind you, but it did sting like a son of a bitch, knocked me off balance and I landed on my ass. It took me a minute to comprehend the fact that Bella Swan, my ex brothers ex girlfriend, just laid me out. I think it shocked me so much because I just never thought she had that kind of thing in her to do to someone. I didn't have to feel a damn thing from her; I could see the hate, anger, pain and devastation in her eyes. She stood over me breathing hard, her red eyes flashing with emotion so fast it was hard to catch them all, but those four never left. I had to look away.

"What the fuck Hale? Can't even look me in the eyes? It was because of you I lost everything that I loved in my life! Because you lost it over a fucking paper cut. Really, I know babies with more control than you! You destroyed me and my life you albino fuck nut! What the fuck do you have to say for yourself?"

Again I just sat there. There was nothing I could say to her. I don't think she was looking for an 'I'm sorry'. I don't think she even knew what she wanted to hear from me, and I really don't think that the truth would set her free on this subject either. There were things that happened after we left that she has no idea about but I really did not want to be the one to tell her. But that also didn't seem like an option either. I guess I sat quiet to long for her taste.

"Why am I not surprised? Nothing to say. Can't even find it in your fucked up heart to say 'sorry Bella. I didn't hunt enough'. Edward was right; you are the worst kind of monster."

Now I had something to say, "sorry to break it to you darlin' but your perfect fuckin' Edward ain't so perfect. If you only knew, you would be thanking me for getting you out of that relationship."

"Is that a fact? Alright albino fuck nut, enlighten me. What makes what you did to me worth it in your eyes?" She just _**had**_ to phrase it like that, didn't she? Damn it!

I sighed as I stood up. "Look, Bella, I really don't have the time to get into all the reasons Edward is a fucktard, nor do I care to. You're pissed, I get it, but again I don't care. If you want answers from me you will have to answer mine. Again I ask, why the fuck are you in Mexico?" It is never a good idea to piss off a newborn, but it is an even worse idea to piss one off when you know shit about them. If they have a gift, how strong they are, how fast. And in this case I can't feel shit to know just how much I am egging her on.

She cocked her head to the side and got this real blank look on her face. "Jasper, do you really wanna do that? Do you really wanna go there?"

I had to wonder if I looked as confused as I felt. "What the fuck are you talking about… ya know what, I could give a fuck. You're here now so I guess we should get down to business. Follow me. I'll show you to your bunk then take you out to get something to eat." No need to tell her that she has no choice in diet down here and she is about to find out what it's like to kill humans.

"That's cute. You think I'm staying here. Awe, you really are as stupid as you look."

I turned around to say something smartass back, but she was already gone. Fuck, she's fast. I sighed and called the 'goon squad' (our tracker team) as they are known as, gave them Bella's description; they scented the air and took off to find her to bring her back. I yelled after them to just bring her back, but not to harm her in any way. Fun times are in store around here if this shit keeps up. It's time Miss Isabella Swan learns who the fuck she really belongs to. A smirk came to my face as I made my way to my cabin to deal with the Yoda wannabe fuck job.


	4. Chapter 4

I walked in my bunk and Peter was standing in a submissive at ease military position. Head down, hands clasped behind his back, looking kinda scared in my opinion. Good, he should be. I stopped a few feet in front of him and crossed my arm over my chest. I took a calming breath. "Okay Peter. Start talking. Just what the fuck was going through your head this time? And I don't want to hear shit about your Jedi mind crap. This was a fuck up of epic proportions. Did you know that she ran away and I had to get the trackers on her? Now I have to punish her before I destroy her even more. I was planning on getting her story and telling her about her fucktard of an ex when I took her hunting, but now I have to starve her and put her in the pit. So please, tell me what you know before I put you on pit duty."

He looked up at me and very carefully explained his inner mind to me. "Major, I don't know what to say other than when I came across her in Texas I knew that she was important as a human but would be the panicle of operations once changed. I didn't know her name or a damn thing about her other than she is strong and can take care of shit and herself. I won't stand here and say if I knew who she was I would have made I different choice because I know I wouldn't have. She is a key to something, what I am not sure, but I do know that the only person that she is going to respond to with any grace is you."

"You call what happened in that room grace? She fuckin' attacked me when all I did was ask her a question. On what planet is that considered grace?"

"Okay, two things jackass. One, she is a newborn vampire now. You have to forget everything you knew about her when she was human. It no longer applies to her. She is no different than the next hot head that wakes up from the change. She is thirsty, confused and lonely. Two, she has no clear recollection of her human life, but she has some and you remind her of what I assume was a really bad place in her life that she does not want to remember. But she also does not know _**you**_. She knows the pansy ass fucker named Jasper Hale. Not the warlord Jasper Whitlock. You have to teach her just like everyone else. It will take time and more often than not she will find herself in trouble, but, Jasper, you have to keep your temper in check. I don't know the details of why she was where she was, but I think that what's wrong with her goes deeper than your fucked up family."

"They are not my family. I was only there for Alice and you see where that got me. They proved that when they sided with the degenerates and telling them it would be alright when they had to reattach Edward's arm after I ripped it off and beat him with it. I don't think they ever really know who they were dealing with while I lived there. I mean come the fuck on. I changed almost everything about myself. I even changed my last name to fit in with them and when push came to shove… fuck it. Forget it. It's done, can't change it so I am not going to be pissed about it. And I am going to agree with you that it goes deeper than the Cullens. It would have to; it's been five years since they walked away."

"I see you didn't add yourself in that name."

"I was never a Cullen. I was a house guess that lived by their diet for 60 years. Can't really feel like one of the family when for 59 of those 60 years you are being lied to, can you?"

That shut him up. "Look, Peter, I don't know what the fuck to do. I used to protect her, now it's my job to do the opposite. I am at a loss here."

"The same thing you always do and are so fucking great at. You will be protecting her by doing your job. If you treat her any different than you do any other newborn, that will get back to Maria and I can guess you don't want that. I think the first thing you need to do is get her to call you something other than Hale. That is going to be a dead giveaway that she knew you from your time away from here and there to be used against you. She knows things that you don't want to get out. Believe me. They will turn on you so fast even your head will spin. And I know that there are a bunch of people that would love to see you go down."

"And you think that she has the power to make that happen?"

"I know she does. Come on Jazz, you were a fucking veghead. And instead of eating her you saved her, and killed one of your own kind to do just that. And that's not even the worst of it I'm sure. Think about it. Long and hard. Think of some of the things you did for anyone of them. Not just the human. You're fucked if any of that gets out."

"Again Yoda, what the fuck am I going to do? I don't think that scare tactics are going to work with her."

"That my retarded friend is where you are WRONG. Isabella Swan is not scared of Jasper HALE; she might however be scared of Jasper WHITLOCK."

I had to cut him off. "Yo, moron, did you not see how she reacted when she woke up?"

He rolled his eyes. "You really are just a stupid country bumpkin aren't you? She has seen your scars. She knows what they are there, and why. She is just a newborn, but one with inside know how into our world. Your appearance won't do shit. She knows about your gift yes?" I nodded. "Good. Does she know everything you can do with it?"

I thought for a second. "I don't think so. Just the basics that everyone knows. She knows what I can do, just not the extent, I don't think. But then again I don't really know. I have no clue what the hell Edward told her about me. He said nothing but like I believe a fuckin' think that prick says."

"If you don't know for sure you have to assume that she knows more than your average newborn. Okay, let's go with she knows every damn thing you can do, how can you use that to your advantage?"

"I can't. If she knows that and she is still not afraid than she has balls of steel or something."

"Go with that thought."

"Or you can stop being a fuck nut and tell me what you know before I make you."

"God you need to get laid. You're no fun. Okay. I don't know the full extent of what she knows, but I do know she has no idea of what you can really do. And that the trackers will have her back by nightfall. And quite well fed at that. There will be a need to send out a cleanup crew. She made a bit of a mess."

He left after giving me a meaningful look. Whatever. This whole thing is crap. I swear the universe is out to get me in one way or another. So Miss Swan fed. Well that might make me feel a bit better when she gets back depending on her eye color. I swear I will be beyond pissed if she didn't go for human blood. With as fast as she is I have no doubt that she made it to the town 50 miles away from here before she got caught. I wonder if the retards that I sent after her were smart enough to wait till she was done eating before advancing on her. Newborn 101 never disturb them while they eat. Bad idea.


	5. Chapter 5

I was sitting at my desk going over some maps when there was a knock on my door. I could only feel one set of emotions. Wariness and amusement, fucking Peter. Now what does that jackass want? I called him in and imagine my surprise when he came in with Isabella. Well he walked in but she was pulled and did not look happy about it. "Welcome back, Miss Swan. I trust you had a nice outing?"

"Bite me, Hale."

I leaned back in my seat and laced my fingers together. "Now this Hale shit is going to stop right here, right now. My name is Whitlock and you can call me Sir or Major. Anything else will not be tolerated. Is that understood?"

She snorted and I sighed. This is not going to end well for one of us, but I'm not thinking that it is going to be me.

"Both of those names are meant only for men of honor. And you deserve neither of them. As far as I'm concerned you are nothing more than a pansy ass fuck nut that runs from his problems instead of facing the consequences of their actions."

"It was five fuckin' years ago. Fuck, get over it already. Being pissed off at me for what Edward did is not going to change a God damned thing. So drop it already. I will not sit here and hash out what happened because you could not even open a stupid gift without hurting yourself. Earlier you wanted an I'm sorry. Okay Darlin' here it is. I'm sorry that you are so accident prone that paper should have been kept away from you. We all knew that you could not walk across a flat surface without a trip to the E.R. We should have kept in mind your handicap and put shit in bags for you. How's that work for ya Pet?" Wow, for once I don't think she has anything to say to that. One point for Whitlock, score me.

Peter just stood there and shook his head. He disapproved but found it funny. I consider that a win in my book. The ball is in your court Miss Swan. Use it wisely.

"What do you mean what Edward did? You were the one that tried to bit me."

"That was never up for debate. I did try to eat you. I won't now or ever deny that fact. But think to yourself for just a moment about my gift. What is it that I can do?"

"You can feel the emotions of those around you, and can change them to what you want them to be."

"Not even close. You got the basics. That's good enough for now."

"That still does not tell me how Edward is to blame."

"Yes it does if you think like a vampire. We have one emotion that humans don't and I can feel it. It's our bloodlust. And when you cut yourself there were 6 others that lost it for a split second and that was all it took for me to attack. It was not so bad until you landed in glass but that does not negate the fact that you were a walking talking blood bank in the home of vampires. I will face up to my part in this but I will not allow you to put the whole thing on me. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to keep going after Edward even after you found out what he was. You knew that we drank blood and you knew that not all of us had the best control over that lust. You also knew that was why I stayed away from you. It had nothing to do with hunting. I went that morning and had only gotten back about an hour before you got there just to make sure you were safe. You might not have wanted that fucking party but you got it and you were the one that was not more diligent with cuts and blood around vampires. If you would have been more careful than the whole thing would have been avoided and you would still be trying to fuck someone that has spent the last 64 years fucking someone else and only wanted you around for the peace and quiet. And if you want me to apologize to you for that, well then you're fucked in the head."

"What are you talking about? Edward loved me!"

"Yes he did, he loved that he could control you and not have to hear shit unless you talked out loud. You were his singer. He kept you around so that he could keep an eye on your blood, not you. Hate to burst your bubble Darlin', but Eddy is a fucktard. He wouldn't fuck you because he was, and still is, getting it from your best friend. How does that make you feel?"

"You unimaginable bastard."

"Sticks and stones Pet, stick and stones. But do you think I would lie about that when that girl happened to be my mate? I think not. They started going at it like rabbits about a year after we met them. I didn't find out about it till after all the drama of your birthday. When the two in question can read minds and see the future it makes it very easy to not get caught."

"But what about everyone else? "

"I thought the same thing and wouldn't you know it? They all knew the whole time. How fucked up is that shit. That's about 90 percent of the reason Rose was such a bitch to you. You wanted what she didn't, that's true enough but she knows what it's like to be cheated on and didn't want that for you. Wish she would have extended the same thing to me, but hey, what can you do?

" Now onto other topics, you are in a lot of trouble for running away today. That will be the first and last time you do that. You might think you know me but I am here to tell you little girl, you don't know shit. You will either listen to me because you want to or because I make you. The choice is yours but it will happen one of those two ways, I can assure you. Now take your pick."

She just stood there staring at me like I'm the moron of the year. You could see her whole thought process play out across her face. Trying to file everything I told her and figure out her chances of running again. I think I will help her with that one.

"Remember what I said Isabella, because you want to or I make you. Those are your only choices."

"Right, like I am staying here because of anything. Nothing can or will keep me here."

I smirked. So that's the way we are going to play this game is it. Well alright Isabella, you wanna play, let's play. "If you really think that there is the door. But I can personally guarantee you will not leave the camp grounds. But, if you wanna test that, go right ahead."

And she did. I chuckled and shook my head. I stood up and calmly walked outside and saw her just about at the north border. The trackers were getting ready to take off after her but I called them off.

"Major, 5000 says it takes two tries to get her down."

"You're on Peter. I'm not as out of practice as I let you think I was." I laughed as I heard him gulp. I took a deep breath and mustered up every bit of calming emotions as I could and sent them right at her. Then I took off. I pounced on her about five feet from the border. She was just like a rag doll. I can't knock her out, but I can make it to where she can't move. I grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her, pushed her face into the ground and put my knee in her back. I bent down and whispered in her ear, "So close Pet. Five more feet and you would have been the first to ever prove me wrong. But you did make it farther than anyone ever has." I chuckled as I more felt than heard her huff. "Let's go Pet. It's time you learned a few things. And it looks like you want to do this the hard way. Personally, that's my favorite. I hope you're ready for this Darlin'. Things are about to get really interesting." I pulled her off the ground and pushed her back toward the barracks. As we were walking past Peter I said, "Pay up Yoda." I winked at him as I shoved Isabella inside and slammed the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Now I am going to make this very clear. I have not and will not ever use my power to force a female to have sex, but I will use it to show dominance. In the vampire world, the male is always going to be the dominate one. No matter the relationship, the male is top dog. Miss Isabella will learn this weather she wants to or not. She may have shit on me but I'll be damn if by the time she leaves this room she will ever say shit about it.

But back to the matter at hand. I told her that she would stay on her own or I would make her, time to show her I am not a lire or one to be fucked with. She had shown massive disrespect and she is going to learn the hard way that shit don't fly with me. I pushed her up against the wall and pressed myself onto her. I dropped my head and ran my nose up her neck taking in her sent. She smelled fantastic as a human, but now I want to bite her for a completely different reason. She is simply mouthwatering. When I reached her ear I very gently asked her "how do you know that you don't want to stay here if you don't even give it a chance. That's not fair to me and all the hard work I do here. Do you really want to do that to me?"

"Come off it Jasper. That shit won't work. You left, you could have stayed gone. To choose this life is not only ridiculous, it's stupid. You hated it before, what makes it different this time?" Good fucking question.

I started pushing trust into her. "The reason I left has nothing to do with why I came back. People like us, like you and I belong here. This is the best place to learn to control your gift, no restrictions, and no denying yourself the one and only thing we need to survive. I lived on animal blood Bella; it has nothing on the read deal. You are always full, always as strong as we are meant to be, always as fast."

"But it's murder. How can you talk about it like it means nothing?"

"Because it really doesn't. Need I remind you that you almost took out a whole fucking village? But that's really not the point right now. How 'bout this, you ate meat as a human yes? How is that any different? We kill because we have to survive. Humans kill for stupid shit like TVs and drugs. Humans are far worse than we are in the murder category and you cannot deny that. They kill, rape and defile their own kind some for no other reason than they are bored. Our kind, we don't, we can't. The laws in our world are much more strictly enforced. And there is no judge and jury. You fuck up, there is no saving you. But we will get into that a little later. For now though, it's time you learned a few things. Around here as far as you're concerned, I am in charge. You will never actually meet Maria as long as I can help it, but if you do something as foolish as try to run away again I will have no choice to take you to her for your punishment, and believe me Pet, you do not want that." I pulled back from her and looked into her glowing red eyes. I could see resolve in them but I was not sure why. Then she actually spat in my face.

"Fuck you. There is nothing you can do to scare me into listening to you. I am not afraid to die. So do whatever you want to do albino fuck nut. Bring it the fuck on." Then she smirked. Son of a bitch.

"Alright Miss Swan, if that is how you really wanna play, I have no problems with that. Like I said, I love doing things the hard way." I repositioned myself faster than she was expecting and had her by the neck hanging with her feet off the floor. "But remember, there are things so much worse than death. Or have you forgotten that vampires can endure so much more pain than humans and still not find death. There is only one way we can die and I'll be damned if you ever get the opportunity. You are stuck here and if I have to be at your side for the rest of eternity to ensure that happens do not think I won't. I am trying to do you a favor, but if you are just going to spit it back in my face I really will treat you like you are anyone else. Even Peter does not speak to the way you do and I am his sire. I have known him for over a century and even though he can be and is most of the time is a real jackass, he still shows me the proper respect. I will not put up with a newborn attitude from you. So you better shape up real quick Privet. You're in MY army now and you're in it for life." Then I dropped her on her ass.

She just sat there and looked at me wide eyed and slack jawed. I took two steps away from her and let her absorb everything I just said. I might have been a bit harsh but I'll be damned if I ever let Maria dish out her punishment. If she survived she would be more like me than I would ever want. I came back to this life because it's the only one that I was ever good at and I really had nowhere else to go cuz I sure as fuck was not going to be a nomad. But there are things about this life that I will do my best to shield her from. But there are things I cannot. I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow. I wonder if she will have anything to say to that.

"So, I really have no choice?"

"You certainly do have a choice. Remember, under your own power or mine. But as far as leaving, no, you do not have a choice in that matter. You're here for life Pet. Better be getting used to it. I can tell you it will be a cold day in hell before you go anywhere. Like I was telling you, it does not have to be a horrible life. It will be as you make it, just like anywhere else you have to find your place. As for you though, yours is right next to me till I say otherwise. That my dear, is not up for debate. Nor is your diet. It is humans only here. Trust me; you'll want the strength it gives you. Not only that, but you'll need it. You are in a war for food and your life. You might not fear death, but I can guarantee you, you will fear me before you see daylight again." I didn't think her eyes could get any bigger but they did. Good; haven't lost my touch. Score two for Whitlock. "Now to start with, what is my name?"

"Jasp.. AHHH!" pain is a great tool to have. It gets the point across.

"What's my name?"

"Jas…" I heard her teeth smash together. God I hope she didn't break one. I might be tough, but that shit hurts.

"I can keep this up as long as you can, Pet. What's. My. Name?"

She gave me the dirtiest look I think I have ever gotten before in my life. And that is saying something. She looked me dead in the eye and said, "Albino Fuck Nut. That work for you, asswipe?"

I sighed. Let try a different approach. I hit her with a dose of pure lust. Then very smoothly asked again, "Isabella, what's my name Sugar?"

She smirked. Stood up and walked up to me, and put her hands on my chest. I looked down at her and she looked up at me. The next thing I know is I am on my knees in front of a very smug looking newborn. Faster than I'm sure she thought possible I was back up and once again had her by her neck against the wall with her feet of the floor. I just stared in her wide eyes and held her there debating on how I wanted to proceed. She started to struggle so I tightened my grip. I knew she wasn't moving and I think that she figured it out as well.

Finally, I took a deep breath and said, "Just what did you think you were going to accomplish there, hmm? I'm really trying to figure it out. Did you really think that would do something? I mean, kicking a guy in the balls might have been a good idea, but I am a vampire, and stronger people than you have tried that and got the same result. It really does not hurt all that bad. More of a forgotten human reaction to keel over like that. Now, I don't think I have made myself clear enough or, you are the densest moron I have ever met. Seeing as I knew you before your change, I know that is not the case. You were quite the astute human, so I can only assume that some of that knowledge crossed over to your new life. Like I said, many times, you have a very simple choice but you are making this so much harder than it needs to be." Next lesson is to not interrupt me.

"And like I said, I am not afraid of you or anything you can throw at me. I want nothing to do with you or your fucked up life. Let me go and leave me the fuck alone."

I was tired of this and ready to put an end to it. I got right in her face, lowered my voice and used the tone I only use when dealing with newborns. "Not going to happen Sugar. I am going to say this in a way that leaves no room for a misconception. You belong to me and you are not going anywhere. Is that in anyway un fucking clear?" I was growling by the time I was done talking, but I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. I consider this a good thing. Fear is the most powerful of emotions and one with I am quite familiar. In the same tone I asked her again, "Now, Isabella, what is my Goddamn name?"

She looked at me with pure loathing in her eyes. "If you think for one second I am calling you Sir you are sorely mistaken."

"Fine, but you didn't answer me, what the fuck is my name?"

"Major." she sneered. Whatever, she said it. I can work with this.

"Good. But I still don't think you fully understand. This is your time to ask me anything you want about anything that I have said in this room so far, but, just so you know, we are not even close to done. I was not kidding when I said fear would be the only emotion you would feel when we left. That still stands very true. So, what do you want to ask?" Again, I dropped her on her ass.

I turned my back on her for a few reasons when I went to sit down. Anyone can tell you it's a stupid idea to turn your back on a newborn, but I as proving a point. It showed I was not afraid of an attack and I saw her as no threat if she did. And it also gave her a chance to run again if she really wanted to. But knowing her as I do, I knew that if she had even one question, she would stay at least as long as I took to answer. When I was situated I looked back to her and saw that she was still in the same spot and position as when I dropped her. I waved my hand to tell her to go ahead and ask away.

She put her head agent the wall and looked at the ceiling, I guess trying to figure out what was the most important thing to ask first incase the q and a didn't last long. I told her the truth, she could ask as many as she wanted and I would be totally honest with her. I had nothing to hide here. When she looked at me again her eyes were hard.

"Why won't you just let me go, what's going to happen to me?"

"You were created to be a soldier, that is your reason for being here. You will be trained by me personally. By the time I am done with you, you will be a ruthless killing machine."

"I GOT THAT! But why though? You know that I am agent killing anything and yet you're telling me I have no choice."

"That's because you don't. I told you, you are in a war. It's kill or be killed here and as I also said, I will never stand for that option to be open for you. You don't know anything about me, or at least the real me. All you know is what I was made to be by the fucking pixy. I can and will protect you. I will keep you alive, whether you want me to or not, and come hell or high water, you will learn to obey everything say."

The question and answer part went on for about an hour. I answered everything from showers to recreation. She didn't seem to like what I said the other newborns did for fun. I guess she is not that all in to hit and quits, but I guess she will learn that the blood lust is not the only emotion that is going to be fighting for her attention. Finally she took the plunge that I was actually thinking was going to come a bit sooner than it did. "Last question, what did you mean when you said I belong to you?"


	7. Chapter 7

I just looked at her, tilted my head to the side, and arched my eyebrow. "I was expecting that to be one of the first questions, not the last one. But let me ask you this, what part of that didn't you understand? It was a very simple and straightforward statement, Pet. And one with no hidden meaning. It was said as it was meant to be."

She just looked at me like I was a fucking moron. "I realize that, fuck nut." Hmm, looks like we are still at square one. No matter, I have all the time in the world, but Miss Bella will be getting hungry here soon. Can't wait to see her face when I tell her there is no feeding till I break her. Gotta say though, I am loving the new Bella much more than the old one. This one has balls of steel. I can't wait to rip them off and put her in her place. This is starting to get real old real quick. I stood up and walked till I was standing right in front of her. I knelt down and took her chin in my hand and lifted her head till she was looking in my eyes.

"If that's the case, there is no need for an explanation. You, Miss Bella, are mine. You will soon find out what all that entails later, but for now, how's your thirst?" Yeah, I'm an ass hole. I know that bringing it up will bring it to the front of her mind, there for making her yearn for blood. But as I said, I am sick of this. We need to move on and until she has a reason things are not going to go anywhere. And just as I thought, her hand flies to her neck in a poor attempt to put the flames out.

She jumped to her feet and yelled out. "Fuck, Jasper, it hurts. Make it stop, please." I crossed my arms and smirked. I slowly started to shake my head no. "No! What the fuck do you mean no? It fucking hurts, God damn it."

I shrugged, arms still crossed. "And? I don't see how your thirst is my problem. If you would just cooperate, we could be done here and I can take you to eat. But the longer you resist, the longer you will be in pain and the longer you're stuck in this room. It is not a hard concept, but I will spell it out for you. There will be no hunting, no blood, no quenching your thirst, not even the sight of the sun till you learn everything that I have to teach you. The more fight you put up, the longer it will be and the worse it will be. And believe me Darlin', it gets so much worse. So what is it going to be, hmm? Are you going to be a good girl and listen or are things going to continue on this path? Either way, I'm good with it."

She looked at me with pleading eyes. I know what she is going through. I hate that I am doing this to her, but hey, if this is what it takes to break her iron spirit than I am not above using any means necessary. But if something doesn't happen soon I will use my gift to make it. "How are you not having a problem with it? I thought you said that other's bloodlust affected you."

"It does, but if I am expecting it, I can control it. That and there is not some handicap klutz with paper anywhere near here, so I'm just fine. Now answer me. Are you done with the fucking bullshit yet, or are you going to continue and piss me right the fuck off?"

Silence. It really is a beautiful thing. I was taking this as a good sign. I have kept her in here longer than I would have if she was just a regular newborn. I was trying to be nice and give her the time to come to grips and accept it on her own, but fuck it all, Peter was right. She really does need to be treated like any other newborn in camp. Well, I think I got through to her at least. So here we go. "Now, Pet, from this point on you aren't to speak unless I say you can. And that doesn't end when we leave this room. It is a permanent order. Understand?"

With a reluctant and resigned sigh she nodded. "Yes, I understand." I just cocked an eyebrow. She gritted her teeth before responding through clenched teeth. "Yes Major, I fucking understand. Happy now?"

I narrowed my eyes. I grabbed her hand and held it level with her face. "One of the more important things to remember is that vampire body parts are removable. We can be put back together decades after we have a body part removed. I told you that so that what I am going to do is not coming out of left field." I grabbed her pinky and ripped it off. She let out a scream of rage and pain. I held the pinky right in front of her eyes when I spoke. "Every part of your body is a privilege to have here. You lose them as a form of punishment and get them back for good behavior. Something else to keep in mind is this. Even a dirty look is grounds to be punished. You know why I took it, but I'll tell anyway. You will learn to respect me even if you don't want to. The little stunt you just pulled lost you this for a sum of time that I decide. The more you get smart with me the more fingers you lose. When I run out of those I will move on to the toes, then on to bigger and FAR more painful ones. You thought that the pinky hurt; wait till you lose a whole fucking arm." I put the pinky in a small box that hung on the wall. I will give it back when we are done before I take her hunting. I lean agent the wall, bending one leg at the knee and put my foot on the wall. I crossed my arms and just waited for her to process what I just told her.

When I looked back over at her, her head was cast down, eyes on the floor, and hands at her side. It is your standard submissive position. Thank fucking GOD! I really didn't think I could take ripping off something else. The place where her pinky used to be was dripping venom, twitching ever so slightly and there was an almost inaudible whimper coming from her. I know no matter what you lose it hurts like a fuckin' bitch. Well, if I didn't have it before I know for a fact I have her undivided attention now. "Ready yet Isabella?" I know my voice is hard, border line growling, but I am so over all this.

Her eyes are hard when they shift to me, but she was able to keep the hate off her face, but it was clear that I not even close to her favorite person right now. Oh, fucking well. I didn't earn the name God of War by cuddling fucking bunnies. But she heeded the warning. I am not fucking around anymore. I will rip off every fucking extremity she has if I have to.

"Good girl. You may speak. Are you finally fucking ready to start?" I could see the shock on her face. That's right my pet, we haven't even begun yet.

She swallowed hard before nodding. "Yes Major." Fan fucking tastic.

"Wonderful." I say as I roll my eyes. Without moving I begin to talk. "This is going to go fast. No talking, just listen and remember everything I tell you. Nod if you understand." She did. "Good. I am going to give you a list of rules and I expect them to be followed to the tee. I will start with saying this; it is your only warning so pay attention. If you ever break one, the punishment will be handed out depending on what was broken and who in front of. I will not tolerate being disrespected in front of any of the newborns. As far as they are going to know, you are no different and will be treated just like them when we are training. I am not one for going easy on anyone. Punishments are harsh and swift. Some rules carry a death sentence if they are broken. These rules will not apply to you if I handle things, but if the Mistress is, well, there will very little I can do to save you short of taking you as my mate."

Her head snapped up as I said this and she pressed her lips together in a very impressive attempt to keep from saying anything. But her eyes said more than words ever could. She didn't seem to like that idea. I smirked and shrugged, "What? It's true. Maria very rarely gets involved with what I have going on. She leaves me to my own devices, but will not stand for disrespecting her officers. Attacking is a different matter altogether, but verbal disrespect is a death sentence. Aggression is natural for newborns, to be expected even, but that's where it ends or her. So that was a long winded way to say, rule number one, even if you don't, you will show me respect. Rule number two, no running away. You have first hand knowledge that our trackers are the best and will find your ass and bring you right the fuck back. In pieces if the situation calls for it. If that's the case you're looking at a week buried all over the place before it even thought of putting you back together." She bowed her head in acknowledgment and returned to her submissive stance.

"The rest of this is just for you. Remember when I said that you belong to me? Well that means this; you are not to leave my sight. EVER. You will be living in my quarters, you will only hunt when I do and above all, you will do every last fucking thing I tell you to do."

Her head shot up and she flat out growled at me. Side note, let me go on record and say, fucking sexy. But I digress. "I don't even fucking think so. God of War or not, I don't fucking think so. I'll call you Major, I'll behave when I have to, but if you think for one fucking second I am going to be some sort of fucking slave you have a big reality check in store for ya fuck nut." I looked at the watch I had on. Wow, she made it a whole thirty minutes before she fucked up. Impressive. Her thirst is starting to wear on her as much as I am. Not to mention the loss of venom is certainly not helping. I give her a nether thirty before she cracks like an egg and will do just about anything for the opportunity to feed. But she spoke out of turn.

I pushed myself off the wall and walked up to her. Surprisingly, she kept the glare from her face but not the hate and loathing from her eyes. I stopped just inches from here and stared at her. I lifted my brow to see if she would catch her mistake and attempt to take it back, I saw recognition in her eyes, but I also saw conviction and resolve. She knew what she did, and was owning up to it. Hmm, good girl. I am strangely proud of her right now. But… I still grabbed a hold of her ring and middle fingers and ripped them off at the same time. She let out a heart breaking shriek. "I don't remember telling you it was alright to speak Isabella. Nor did I call you a slave of any kind." I held up each finger as I told her why I took them. I saw the question I her eyes and knew what it was but figured I should let her say it. I tilted my head to the side, "You have a question? I didn't think I left room for one, but I'm curious. What is it? You may speak"

"Why? You took two, why?" her voice was thick with pain and hate, and I knew she would be crying if it was a possibility.

I held up the ring finger for her to see, "you put words in my mouth. No one speaks for me." I left it at that. I saw no reason to explain further. "Slave is the wrong word; I would use something more along the lines of PET." I smirked as I saw her eyes narrow. She put her head down and held her hand to her chest. I just held her fingers in my hand as I stalked slow circles around her.

She really was fucking hot. Nice curves, perfect height. She looks so different than she did as a human. Yes, I would enjoy breaking her the rest of the way. I love the sassiness, but that is something only I will see. Oh yes, I will break her then I will make her mine. I will mold her into what I want her to be, and then I will make her my mate. It will take time, I'm not fool enough to think it will be an overnight thing, but it will happen. Oh yes, it, and her, will be epic. I stood before a soon to be soldier, thinking of how I will make her my goddess of war.


	8. Chapter 8

Hours turned into days. After awhile I lost track of the time we were even in that room. Three days at least, but I am not sure. So I was really not surprised when I felt Peter start his approach. I was surprised, but should not have been, at what he was feeling though. Wariness and amusement. That mother fucker knows something. Fuck it, I'll deal with it later. I'm just about done with Isabella anyway. She is nowhere close to where I want her, but I have a blanker slate to work with now. Over the last three days she lost all ten fingers and nine of her toes. Pair that with the fact that she is now starving, and you get a very receptive newborn. The promise of blood and reattachment goes a very long way in that state of mind.

However, back to Peter the jackass. Without any warning he busts in the room and managed to scare the ever living shit out of the lady. With no hesitation what so ever, Isabella shot from her place and attacked. It was nothing compared to what he had dealt with in the past, but a bite is a bite and they ALL fucking hurt. She managed to take a chunk out of his upper arm when she pulled back. Next thing I know she is positioned behind me. She has to be the fastest fucking vampire in the world. It was really hard to follow her.

I looked over my shoulder at her and her head was down and her face was in her hands, well palms, but I guess it works out to mean the same thing. I was starting to be able feel her emotions, my guess because she is getting so weak from lack of blood and loss of venom. Whatever gift she has it is really taking its toll on her. Anyhow, I am feeling a bunch of different things but remorse is nowhere to be found. I shifted my eyes to Peter and he is just standing there wide eyed and holding where he was bit, shock and pain the only thing he was feeling. I shifted my weight a bit so I was blocking her from his view and I could feel Bella relax, even if only slightly.

"Caption, so nice of you to fucking join us. What can I do for you?" I felt fear start to leak into his emotions. Good. He still just stood there and stared at me, well more like through me. I have had my patience tested to the point of nonexistence. And my temper is about ready to explode. I snapped my fingers in front of my own face and snarled "Caption Fuck Job! Right here dipshit. What in the name of fuck do you want? I am in no mood for fucking games, so spit it the fuck out." I say fuck a lot when I'm hungry and stressed, sue me.

His eyes shot up to mine quick, fast, and in fucking hurry. He bowed his head slightly before he started to talk. "My apologies Maj…"

I cut him off, "Peter, let's play good idea, bad idea shall we? Good idea, tell me what you want, bad idea, take longer to do it with an apology that I don't really want. Good idea, take that apology and phrase it so it is for the lady that you, for a still unknown reason, made jump out of her skin, bad idea, piss me off even more by burning holes through my chest to see said young lady that is about to bite again. I have not gotten bit yet, snapped at quite a few time, but with no contact, but I swear on everything holy, if I get bit because of you I will remove every part your body and laugh while I do it." I finished with a growl just for good measure.

"Right, my apologies Miss Bella, I didn't mean to frighten you. Now, Major, we have a problem, and you're needed to handle it. I can finish up here if you would like." Yeah, probably not going to happen pal.

"No, just about done. What's so bad that you can't take care of it?"

"The newborns that woke up while you have been in here are causing a whole mess of trouble; we need your special kind of tact to take care of it." Fucking perfect. But as it stands I should blow off some steam before I take Isabella hunting so she can finish fusing back quickly.

"Alright Caption, give me five minutes to finish here and I will meet you at the pit, dismissed." He bowed his head and left. I took a deep breath, rubbed my hands over my face, and turned to face Isabella. "Well looks like we're done here for now. I am going to deal with this than I am going to take you to get something to eat. You stay in this room till I come back to get you. Without your fingers, you won't be able to do much, and with only one toe, not going to be able to run that far. When I get back I will help you put them all back on, then we will go eat. You leave this room and you won't even see a drop of blood for a very long time. Is that understood? You may speak."

She dropped her hands, and lowered her head even more. In a quiet whisper, "Yes sir, Major, I understand." She lifted her head only enough for her eyes to see mine, but not actually making contact. I guess we made more progress than I thought. I could feel the curiosity and see it in her eyes, among other things. I gave her the okay to go ahead and ask, but I was not really expecting her brain to be working as lucid as it was for the level of her thirst, "What if someone else comes in here before you get back? If I'm doomed out there, how will I make it out alive in here?" It was an honest question. One that been answered before, but honest nonetheless. I tilted her head up till she met my eyes.

"After you have been doing this for a while, not just being here, but being a vampire in general, this will make so much more since. But it is all part of the fact that you are mine, and every single vampire here knows not to fuck with what belongs to me. Now do you understand?" No words just shook her head in the negative. "It matters not. You'll be fine as long as you listen and don't leave this room. ROOM, Isabella, not building, room." She nodded, took a step back, and dropped her head again. I can feel the huge amount of hate that is bubbling just below the surface, I can also see it in her pitch black eyes, but the smart little cookie that she is, is waiting for me to leave before the lid blows and she gets in trouble.

I turned to leave and I knew that she was sticking her tongue out at me. I let it go only because it was all she could do. I know she wanted to flick me off, but since I had taken both middle fingers, she used the only thing she could to make her feel just a bit better. I shook my head and chuckled loud enough for her to hear me. I hear the hiss, but I chose to let it go. I think I pushed her far enough for the time being. I was hungry and if I took away her hunting trip, I went without one as well.

I got to the door and reached out for the handle when I heard the growl. Now I debated how to handle this for about a tenth of a second. I had her up against the wall again with her feet about two feet off the ground by her neck. I growled right back at her, and mine's better. She was pissed that I was really leaving her here on her own. I tightened my grip and pressed harder. This only pissed her off more. I bared my teeth and sighed inwardly when she did it right back. Things are about to ugly. That was when I caught on to what set her off, there was someone waiting just outside and she was still worried about being alone.

"I don't give a fuck who is out there, if you don't move the fuck back, I will fucking destroy you."

"Major, everything alright in there? Peter said you needed help with the girl."

"He was fucking mistaken. But he is about to lose his mate if you don't get the fuck back God Damnit! I swear to god Char, I am not fucking around here."

"He was quite adamant about it, Major." And that, right there, was both of our breaking points.

Isabella was thrashing around trying to get free so as to rid the area of what she felt was the threat, I was being kicked in her attempt to get out of my hold. When she shifted her weight forward and her teeth found my arm, sunk in all the way to her gums, I snapped. I gripped her neck as tight as I could, shifted my weight, and slammed her on the ground as hard as possible. The floor gave out beneath her, and she left a dent in the ground. I bent down so my nose was almost touching hers, narrowed eyes demanding that she look nowhere else but at me, a constant growl vibrating in my chest.

Snarling in a low, menacing voice to the point that venom was dripping from my lips and teeth, the whole time keeping my grip on her neck, I spoke, "Knock it the fuck off, right fucking now. If you hit, kick, punch, make any contact with me in any manner what so fucking ever, you will never see the body parts that I already took from you again and you will fucking lose more. If you think, even for a second, that you are thirsty now, just wait and see how it feels when I don't feed you for a fucking month. If you think I am even remotely fucking joking, just fucking try me. Now open your goddamned mouth and let me the fuck go."

She did what she was told and let my arm go. She was still shaking, but the attempt to get free stopped. She was worked up to the point that I knew if I even loosened my grip Char was dead. At this point, I wouldn't even stop her. But that would cause more problems than I really wanted to deal with at this point in time. Keeping my iron grip on Isabella firmly in place I turned my attention to the door but not taking my eyes off my little pet.

"Sergeant, if you value your life, even a little, this is your last fucking warning, get away from the door and do not come close to it again. I had this completely under control until you decided that what your fuck job of a husband said is more important than what I do. This shit is going to stop, and you are going to have a crash course in why I am a warlord. Find Peter, tell him I said deal with his problem on his own then the two of you meet me in my cabin."

"But…"

"GODDAMMIT CHAR THAT IS A DIRECT FUCKING ORDER! Do not make me repeat myself again. Go the fuck away."

She stood there for a few seconds longer before I had enough. I squeezed my hand to get Isabella's attention and said in the most menacing voice I have ever used, "If you move, even a fraction of an inch, you are going to wish that death was easier than it is for vampires. Do you get me?" She nodded furiously and stilled all movement. She even stopped breathing, to ensure that there was no chance that she would not be in the same place she was right this second. "Good." I slowly lessened the pressure I had on her. I felt her tense, her instincts telling her to get away from danger. Well there was no getting away from me right now. Once I let go completely, she locked her body down. 'Good girl' I thought. At least she learned when it was a good idea to listen.

I was up and at the door so fast it kinda surprised me. There was no opening the door, that fucker came right off the hinges. She never saw me coming. I had her pinned to the wall by her arms, feet off the ground, looking dead in my eyes. I could feel her fear and my demon was basking in it. I could feel Peter coming up behind me and my snapped my head to the side so I could see him. "Stop right there, Caption."

"Major, you harm her and I will kill you."

I smirked. I shook my head and turned my attention back to the vampire in my hands. Chuckling I responded to that asinine thought. "I hold every card here. You want your mate to make it out of this alive; I can make that happen, but that all depends on you. If you would be so kind, please tell me what was going on in your head when you violated my direct order and sent her here and told her that she could not take no for an answer when I said to leave." Confusion. That's all I felt from him. Hmm, interesting. Let's see how much deeper shit the female gets in. I'm not even looking at him, "Remember Caption, I will know if you lie. And I would suggest you don't. I am in no mood."

I could see him in the reflection of Char's eyes. He looked like he was in quite the pickle. Lie, take some of the blame, piss me off more, and make it worse for both of them, or tell the truth and leave his mate to her punishment. He rubbed his hands over his face, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You were taking longer than you said you would be getting to the pit so I asked Char to go and see if you needed any help because at the time I had my hands full. I did not however tell her not to take no for an answer." He looked so helpless

I turned to look at him. His eyes were pitch black, but at this point I don't think all his anger is for me. I turned back to look at Charlotte. I cocked my head to the side thinking for a second. "If I leave her punishment for this to you, will it be an appropriate one? That does not mean just withholding sex for a day. I mean a real one. If not I will take care of this right now."

"Oh no Major, I want to handle this one personally." I was right. The bulk of his anger was directed at his mate.

"Very well, do you still need me to deal with the newborns or did you take care of it?"

"Under control." Wow, he is pissed.

"Good. Take your mate and do what you see fit. I have a newborn to take on a hunt after I help her fuse back together. I won't be back till morning. As always, Caption, you're in charge till I return." With that I let go of Char and took a step to the side. She had her head down and she felt nothing but fear and I tiny bit of relief. I couldn't have that, not in my current mood. "I wouldn't feel like that. Your mate is about as pissed off at you as I am. Relief is the last thing you should be feeling." I followed her with my eyes till she reached Peter's side. "One more thing, both of you are to stay away from Isabella. If she is to learn what I want her to, I can't have you doing exactly what I don't want her to. Are we clear?" They both nodded and took off towards their cabin. After all this, I think while we are out getting dinner, we are going to get a drink. Lord fucking knows I need one. So much for getting a bit of the aggression out before our hunt. Oh well, I had bigger things to deal with right now. A freaked out and starving newborn is not the best thing to take in to a town to eat, but that is the only choice I had. I need to feed or I will end up killing someone. I ran my fingers through my hair, took a deep breath and steadied myself for this.

I walked back in the room and saw that Isabella listened and never moved. I am actually truly surprised by this. I kept that to myself though. I was really proud of her. I stopped when I reached the hole I made with her body and looked down at her. She closed her eyes and still was not breathing. Her hands and feet were twitching ever so slightly due to the loss of fingers and toes, but other than that, she was still as stone.

I squatted down and put my hands on the ground. "Isabella, open your eyes." She did and looked at me but still did not make eye contact. She is doing everything she can think of not to piss me off farther. "Good girl Isabella, I'm proud of you. You earned your fingers and toes back, and I think even that hunting trip I promised. I know you heard everything that happened out there. Do you understand now? Everyone here, even my friends, have the deepest respect for me. They know that even though I am their friend, family even, I have no problem doing what I must to keep things that way. I am feared for a very good reason, and respected for the same one. I will tell you about my time here before later, but for now, why don't we get you put back together and fed hmm?"

She cocked a perfect eyebrow at me but said nothing. I put my hand out to help her up. I was where she is when I was a newborn. It is a pain in the ass to get up with no toes. She let out a very unlady like snort and held up her hand, and waved it for good measure. I rolled my eyes and grabbed what was left of her hand and pulled her out of the hole. "I am trying to be nice here, don't be a smartass. Sit still and let me put you back together. But just to warn you, it feels no better fusing back together than it does getting ripped apart. Now as I replace these, I want you to tell me what the reason for the removal in the first place was." That went on for an hour. She told me the reason, using the same words I used when I took them. I had to roll my eyes a few times, she really is a smartass. When I was done I just grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, the pulled her behind me to the edge of camp.

I pulled her to a stop next to me and turned her to look at me. "Now, I want you to listen to me, we are going to town for dinner. When I tell you to, hold your breath, I can't have you have a repeat of your last appearance. When we get close, I don't want you any more than two feet away from me. If you catch a whiff before I get the chance to warn you, I will do the same thing I did the last time you ran. You are going to have slip ups; mistakes are going to be made. That will never be held against you."

She looked at me, asking permission with her eyes to talk. I waved my hand to give her the go ahead. "How do you plan to keep me from a massacre? Your dumbass kept me locked up for five days." Five? Huh, at least one of us knows how long it was.

"Watch it Darlin'. Anyways, it's really easy for me to control every aspect of this little outing. So, shall we? Stretch your legs, but if you get out of my sight you are going to town missing a hand." I was curious about how fast she was. And she did not disappoint. She was off like a shot and I had to strain to just keep an eye on her. There was no keeping up with her. Just before she got out of hearing range I yelled after her. "Isabella, stop!" I shot a healthy amount of compliance at her and she stopped dead in her tracks. Her head whipped around so fast that I think she might have gotten whiplash. That's right kiddies, I can control emotions, and that mean I can control you. I smirked at her when I felt her confusion.

"How in the name of Jesus fuck in a cup did you do that?" I'll let it slide.

"Later, right now you need to hold your breath. We are just over a mile from town and if the wind changes, you will end up going nuts." I know she wants to know how I did that, but it will have to wait. I'm hungry and will stand for no more delays.


	9. Chapter 9

Lust.

That's all you ever feel walking into places like this, but it is where you always find the best pray. Not always the best tasting, but the kind that will not be missed. You know rapists, murderers, and the fuckers that just don't know the word no even existed. Now, I'm not nearly as picky and Peter and Char, and with as hungry as I am, anything will really do, and I know that Isabella is a blink away from killing every last person in the place. I bubble her in trust, patience, and amusement, all the while capping her bloodlust to a more manageable level. I want a drink damn it and I will get one. I grab her hand and pull her to the bar with me. As we sit down I felt a huge spike in the level of lust in front of us. I look at the bartender and his eyes are locked on Isabella. I growl to low for him to hear it, but my company doesn't miss it. She tilts her head to the side asking if I was alright. I nod, but grab her stool and pull it closer to me. 'MINE fucker' I think to myself. I lean closer to Bella to ask what she wanted to drink. I could have whispered from the other side of the bar and she would have heard me, but this was more for appearance than anything.

She looked confused and cocked a brow at me. Hmm, looks like everything really did sink in over the last five days. I got so close to her ear my lips were brushing it as I spoke. "Why we are here, and until we get back to camp, feel free to talk as much as you want. When it is just us, feel free to be yourself. However, if there is even one vampire in the area, remember what you were taught, and everything'll be fine." I felt her shiver feeling my lips on her ear and her own lust spike. Score.

"And if we run into others while we are out like this?" I thought about this.

"If that happens, I'll take each situation as it comes. But always assume that you are to remain quiet and submissive. Now, back to the question at hand." I pulled just a bit away, not a lot, just enough to not touch her ear when I was talking. "What do you want to drink?"

"Were you bitten retarded?" Well, that didn't fucking take long did it.

"Alright, Jesus Christ. I know you're hungry, that's not what I meant. I would kill for a drink. Well, I guess that is going to happen but not the point. So, what do you want? This hunting trip is on hold till I get some goddamned alcohol in me."

"We can still drink? You're not fucking with me are you? Please tell me your not fucking with me; I will fuck you up if you're fucking with me." It's kinda cute how excited she gets at the thought of drinking.

"I swear, you can still get as drunk as you ever have, and on a lot less. Without the body heat we don't burn it off as fast, so we stay drunker longer. Just like being a human, you have to build your tolerance up to it, so the amount…" why did I tell her to be herself? I always hate to be interrupted.

She turned away from me and just yelled out to the bartender. "Hey, get your ass over here and get me a shot of whiskey!" And he did to. I was surprised; she really didn't strike me as a whisky drinker. The bartender went to grab the crown off the back bar, but as soon as he touched the bottle she scoffed. "That shit ain't whiskey! Every bartender knows whiskey means Jack." Then under her breath I plainly heard 'fucking retarded mother fucker.'

The bartender looked at her as he picked up the bottle, "Crown Royal is too whisky. It's better, hence the reason it's on a higher shelf. Jack Daniels…" she shot that shit down flat. It was kinda funny to watch.

"Is the best thing since sliced bread. Put that piss in a bottle down, pour me and my, uh, the Major here two talls on the rocks, put two shot glasses down, leave the bottle, then walk away." He did everything she said in the order she said it. Curious.

"Remember what I said Pet, we don't get drunk the same as humans. It takes a lot less, until you're used to how your new body reacts to alcohol I really think you should start off easy."

As she grabbed her glass, she looked me in the eyes for a second before returning her eyes to the glass in her hand and asked with a sigh in her voice, "Is that a direct order, Major?" she knew it was, but I could feel her hope that I was going to tell her it was only a suggestion.

"I'm sorry Pet, but yes it is. You're already starving, if you get too drunk you will revert to your base instincts and I won't be able to keep you under control." With a sigh she set it back down, and flagged the bartender back over.

"Red-headed slut, as a drink, not a shot, tall. Please and thank you." She slumped in her seat and looked longingly at the jack that was still in front of her. "When I was human, I could drink that whole bottle without batting an eye. How long till I can have it again?" she turned to look at me, waiting for an answer I didn't have.

I shrugged. "That depends on you, Pet. Just like with humans, every vampire has their own tolerance level. You just have to find yours. But when you are as hungry as you are, around as many humans as you are and the only thing keeping you from killing every last one of them is me, not the best time to find it." She leaned forward, folded her arms and put them on the bar, then put her head down, chin resting on her forearms with a sigh. The bartender brought her her new drink and she looked at it like she wanted the glass to explode into a million pieces.

She grabbed the glass and took a sip. "I hate you so much right now Major, Sir." Well, no animosity there is there.

I sighed when I took a healthy gulp from the drink in front of me contemplating how to put this. "Tell ya what Pet, if you behave for the rest of the night, I will acquiesce and let you have whisky when we get back to camp. I have a bottle in my bunk and will allow you to have some, but only after you are well fed. It works the same for us as it does for humans. If you eat first, it will take a bit more to get you drunk. For now, just deal with what you have, and we will see how the night goes. Deal?"

She shifted her eyes to get a sideways glance at me, and then looked forward again. She was going for nonchalance but I know I just made her night. "What's behaving? And why do you keep calling me Pet?"

"Behaving is doing exactly what you're told. No bitching, moaning, or complaining. You do it when you're told to, how you're told to, with no smartass comments. Ya got it?"

"But you told me to be myself when it's just the two of us, and that would not be me if I didn't have something to say." I'm learning this.

"Well, then I guess that you're going to have to decide what is more important. Listening or your whisky. Simple."

"How about this, I don't bitch, but I still get to be a smartass, because I'm sure when this hits me, I won't be able to stop it. Deal?" There is the hope again. It's cute how she thinks that she will get her way.

"Nope. Remember Pet, my rules, not yours. We are doing this my way or not at all. So make your choice." Is she? Yes she is. She really has her bottom lip sticking out in a pout. I just snorted. "Remember who I was married to for 60 years? You really think that is going to work? I am immune to the pouty face Pet." I patted her head for good measure then laughed when she growled at me. "So, what's it going to be, compliance or your favorite?" She was really thinking hard about this. I know it's going to be hard for her, but damn, I didn't think it was that tough.

"Fine, I'll behave, but I want your word that it will be worth it in the long run for me. You have no idea how hard this will be for me." The hell I don't. She doesn't know Peter. That fucker can't take a fucking thing serious. Wonder what he did to his mate. I was brought back to the topic by Isabella, "so, Major, what's first?"

I looked back at her and saw that her glass was empty. "Want another? We have about an hour till dinner."

"Sure, just let me know when you start having trouble with my control." I wonder if she knows just how much control I have over her.

"Not a problem."

We sat there for the next hour in easy conversation. She was actually really funny, a major smartass, but really funny. I let it all go. I want her to have a good time because she would whimper whenever I did a shot, but never said anything. When I started having issues with her control I turned to the dance floor picking out our dinner. It's not hard for me anymore; I spotted them right off the bat. There was a girl that kept stealing glances at me and the guy that tries to take every girl home with his sights set on Bella. Piece of fucking cake, and not a moment too soon either. My Pet had a constant growl in her chest that I'm sure she didn't even realize she had. It had been about a week since her last meal, so it was not a surprise. I turned to her and got her attention. "Alright Pet, look just a hair to your right, there is a guy with dark brown hair and green eyes. You see him?" At her nod I continued. "That's your dinner. It's all instinct. Get him outside and out of sight, than just do what your body tells you to do. It's not hard, but if you have any trouble, let me know and I'll take care of it. Go on, but remember to get him out of sight, and cover his mouth so he can't scream, cuz he will. The bite hurts like a bitch. Remember that right?"

Her teeth were clenched and she had venom dripping from the corner of her mouth. "All I remember is the burn, not the pain of the bite." Poor thing. Had I not capped her bloodlust I would have realized how hungry she really was.

I reached over and wiped the venom trail from her chin. "Well, now you know. Go eat; I'll be right behind you." She spared me a parting glance and went to her pray. I watched her seduce him out the door, and then went to get my dinner.

I walked up to the table she was at and turned on the southern vampire charm. "Hey there darlin'. How ya doin' this evenin'?" she looked slightly dazed. I think Bella used to call it being dazzled.

She blinked and smiled. "I'm alright. How are you?"

"Much better now. I was wondering if you had a cigarette I could bum."

"Of course. I think I'll join you. I hate that you have to go outside to smoke now. Such a hassle." No, it's really not. When she stood I offered her my arm. "Oh my, such a gentleman. Your mama raised you right." So glad I'm taller than her. That way she couldn't see me roll my eyes.

"Yes she did. I miss her."

"Did you move away?"

"No, I'm from around here. My mama died a few years ago." Can almost two centuries be considered a few years?

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. How did she pass? I hope it was peaceful."

"I'm not sure on the details. I was stationed away from here when she died." It's true enough. I really was.

"Oh, are you in the army?" I again rolled my eyes.

I'm a major." By this time we were outside. I decided to follow Bella's scent. See how she's faring. I steered my dinner around the corner and saw Isabella just about to bite the guys neck. I decided that I would eat with her. I spun the girl around into the wall. I felt her surprise, but I also felt her lust.

"Mandy. My name is Mandy."

I ran my nose up her neck till I found her pulse point. I shifted my eyes to see my pet looking right back at me. "I could give a fuck what your name is. I'm taken." I gave my pet a nod to fast for the girl to detect and we bit into their necks at the same time.

I had my gift to keep mine quiet, but my pet had to improvise. Once she bit down, the guy let out a howl of pain. She could have just covered his mouth, but she was mad at me, so she took it out on the guy's nuts. A swift knee to the balls and she knocked the wind out of him and he shut right the fuck up. The whole time she kept her eyes on mine. Her eyes should have regained the red color as she fed, but they stayed pitch black. I knew why, but I bet she didn't.

She had hers drained before I was done with mine. When she pulled her mouth away there was blood sliding down her chin, dripping onto her breasts. She never took her eyes off mine. This my friends, is why vampires that are not mated should never feed when a nether one can see them. Feeding is like an aphrodisiac to vampires. I stretched my gift out to her to see if I could feel her now that she was fed. I could feel relief, anger, and lust. I knew what everyone was for. Relief for the flames to be put out, she was still pissed about the whisky, and as I said, feeding is the vampire equivalent to Viagra.

When I was done, I took a step back and just let the body fall wherever. She arched an eyebrow at me. I started to feel confusion drip into her emotions, probably because she didn't understand what was going on with her. She slowly stepped away from her meal and I had her pushed into the wall with her legs around my waist. One hand under her ass and the other hand had her arms pinned above her head before he even hit the ground. I looked in her eyes for a moment; they were swirling with all kinds of emotions, but didn't dip into them. I dropped my head to the top of her breasts, flicked my tongue out and licked across both swells. I started my ascent, leaving open mouth kisses all the way up. I ran my flat tongue along the curve of her chin and stopped right before I hit her lips. Holy fucking Christ, she tastes fucking fantastic. I looked back to her eyes and was not surprised to be looking into pools of liquid onyx. I licked my lips to get the rest of blood off and saw her eyes flick down to look before looking back into my eyes.

I leaned my forehead ageist hers. "Sorry my pet, but this is not happening here or now. You have a long way to go yet, but," I lifted my head, put the tip of my index finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at my eyes. "You can count on the fact it will. I am going to tell you how things are going to go from this point on. You are going to continue to obey, you are going to continue being submissive, and when you reach the level I want you to be at, I am going to claim you, make you mine in every way, and when that happens, you are not to leave my sight. Period. Ever. I am going to be as blunt as possible right now, leaving no room for questions or doubt that I am even remotely fucking around. I am going to turn you into what I want you to be, and then you will be my mate. I am the most dominate mother fucker you will ever meet, and I demand submission in every aspect. I am also a jealous, selfish, overprotective son of a bitch. Anyone that messes with you will have me to answer to. You already know I demand respect; you will do well to remember everything that you have gone through so far. It will keep you out of serious trouble later. Because believe me, if you think your punishments have been bad so far, they are nothing compared to what they will become. Are we completely clear my pet?"

She searched my eyes for a moment before nodding. "Of course Major. If I may, can I ask you a question?" I kept my eyes on hers, but I turned my head a bit to the side and nodded. "Will I ever be able to call you Jasper again, or will I always have to call you Major, Sir?"

I moved my hand from her chin and put it flat on the wall by her head as I smirked. "That's all? You want to know if you can call me by my name?" she nodded. I tilted my head, squinted a little, bit the corner my bottom lip, and clicked my tongue. I took a breath and let it out through my nose as I thought about it. "Would it make you happy to call me Jasper, opposed to Sir or Major?" again she nodded. I rolled my head from side to side for a minute contemplating. "Alright Pet, if it will make you happy, after we become mates, you can call me Jasper when we are alone, but it's only Major when around anyone else." She gave me a small smile. I'll let her have this little victory. "For now though Pet, we have a mess to clean up. The bar will be closing soon and we can't have two dead bodies just lying there for all to see now can we?"


	10. Chapter 10

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and we are now just about at the year mark of my little pet waking up. Her speed and strength should have started to wean about two months ago. She was little weaker than she was, but I swear, where she has gotten weaker, she has gotten faster. She is not even challenged by the other newborns that woke up at the same time as her, and even the brand new ones are no match for her speed. She was beautiful in her lethalness. Her speed paired with the brutal training she has endured at my hands, she has become a force to be reckoned with.

The past year for her was far worse than it was for any other newborn I have ever trained. I guess that will happen when at the same time I was training her to be a soldier; I was training her to be my mate. The first month Isabella more times than not ended up having to be put back together at the end of the day. I never kept her dismembered for more than a few hours, but the mouth on that girl, I swear I even saw Peter get a little red in the face. She learned very fast that she could say whatever the fuck she wanted when she was paired with a newborn and not get in trouble. I always found it funny. My personal favorites so far have been 'cum guzzling gutter slut' and 'monkey raping ass fuck'. Even with as old as I am, I have to say, those are new to me. Even Maria found her amusing. They met before I bit her. I was sure that she was going to die, but she ended up winning her over some fucking how. Still don't know what happened in that room, but all I felt was amusement from Maria and anger and hate from Bella. My pet has to prove herself worthy to continue to live, but if Maria could keep her around just for the shit that comes out of her mouth, I'm sure she would.

But I digress. Today is the day that the newborns are evaluated to find out who lives and who dies, and her years up. I took Isabella to town yesterday to get some new clothes since everything she had was shredded. She walked into the room and I felt my eyes darken. She was only wearing an athletic sports bra and sport shorts that literally stopped where her ass stopped, no shoes and her hair up in a ponytail. She stopped wearing shoes about seven months ago when she is fighting. They don't stay on. She runs completely out of them. But the hottest thing about her is the fucking scares. She has less than me but more than Peter. The newborns tend to gang up on her as a way to get back at me for the hell I put them through on a daily bases. The only thing that is impossible to stop from happening is her getting bit. My favorite one is the one right below her left ear. Can you guess why? Yup, it's mine. I have yet to mate with her, but I did claim her about six months ago.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _It was a particularly bad day for everyone. It was a weeding time and the newborns up for death were much more aggressive than usual. What is it the humans say? Ah yes, someone must have pissed in their Wheaties this morning. Isabella has been doing well in both aspects of her rather over the top trainings. So I was going to allow her to sit on the sidelines due to the fact that she still had at least four months till her name came up on the chopping block. That and her speed is always useful when the retards tried to run when I called their names. When newborns are weeded through it's a fight to the death. The winner goes on to fight someone else, and so on till we have a stale mate. At that point there are only two left and they are both allowed to live, and are given a title and all is well. If there is no stalemate, there are no new officers, and a very pissed off Maria. But hey, what can you do? If they all suck, they all suck._

 _Anyways, it was a horrible day to be a newborn. I was in a pissy mood because everyone was in a pissy mood. And my Pet was in a pissy mood because I was in a pissy mood. The day started out with her being a smartass, not a big deal, but it was overheard by an officer and he said something so I had to discipline her right off the git go._

" _Damn it Isabella, I really don't need this shit today of all days." I said as I slammed her now detached hand down on my desk. "Ya really need to learn to keep your ears and nose open!"_

" _Fuck you and the horse you rode in on. If you think this is the end ya have another thing comin',_ Major. _" I think I might have pissed her off a bit. She was holding her arm to her chest putting pressure on it what she decided to let me in on a little secret. She lowered her voice and put so much malice in it I almost shivered. Almost. "And another thing fucker, you can rip anythin' off ya want, I'll keep comin', faster and harder, till your funckin' head spins." In her time here she has developed a southern drawl. Sexy as hell in her voice._

 _"Is that a fact_ Pet. _" I reached out and grabbed her by the back of her neck, pulling her to me. I wrapped my hand in her hair to make sure she wasn't going anywhere, ripping her head back so she was looking in my eyes."One way or another Pet, this shit is gonna stop. You have been doin' wonderfully, but I think somethin' else is in order to make you understand that I am in charge, and because of that..." I could hear the growl in her chest, but I didn't give a fuck. This was a long time comin'. I growled right back at her, pulled her head back more, turned it to the side and sunk my teeth into her neck just below her left ear. She hissed through clenched teeth and her growling got more intense. She started to struggle against me and I just held her tighter. She stopped growling and started to whimper when she felt my venom enter her veins. I said before ALL bites hurt, but this one more so, because of the amount of venom that they are injected with._

 _Her struggling stopped and she went limp in my arms. I didn't pull back when this happened, I bit down harder. Running on pure instinct, I let my body do what it was meant to. Her whimpering got louder, and I had to hold her up by her waist so as to not rip her head off when her legs gave out beneath her._

 _On a side note, perhaps I should explain how a male claims his mate. First of all, I was not being mean, this was me claiming my intended mate, and leaving physical proof that she belonged to me. It's not a pleasant experience for the female, but it's not meant to be either. Males are dominating fuckers and this forces the female to submit and put their life in the hands of the one that will spend the rest of eternity protecting them. That is why that bite goes where it does. Because if the female does not trust the male, she will literally get her head ripped off. It was something all male vampires did. The bite did two things. The first was to show that the female was taken and not to be fucked with unless the other male wanted to die, and the second was not so much the bite mark, but the introduction of a male's venom. Claiming marks always go on the same place, on the pulse point below either ear. The male venom reacts with the female's venom around the brain and combines. When this happens all the female can to from this point on is listen to and obey the male that they now share venom with._

 _This was not her first bit, but the first on her neck. The one that turned her was on her shoulder, and there was not a newborn stupid enough to bite her there. It was never said, but it was a very well known fact that she was mine. This little display was not meant for anyone else, it was meant for her, and only her._

 _I felt her complete submission, not through her emotions because no other vampires have my gift, we know by instinct, so I let her go. Completely. I didn't help her stay standing because the bite was not done in the glow of love, it was done purely out of a dominate nature, and she knew it. Perhaps when I do take her as my mate, it will go a bit differently, but for some reason I really don't think that our first mating when she gets that mark, will be all lovey dovey._

 _I stood over her, tall and proud, looking down my nose at her. I smirked at her when she lifted her head and put her hand over her leaking neck wound. "Was that as good for you as it was for me?" yeah, I'm an ass hole, but hey, you already knew this. "Things for you, weather you know it or want it, have just changed. Get the fuck up, go get dressed to fight, and do not keep me waiting. You're not in a fight for your life; you're in a fight for a whole new reason. Go." I pointed to the bathroom and turned to go wait outside, not bothering to make sure she listened._

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

I felt her irritation with me. I swear she knows every time I think about her claiming bite. I looked at it and smirked; she saw and rolled her eyes. The past six months have been interesting to say the least, but I'm not really going to get into it right now. We have more important things to do than reminisce about it right now. It's time to go show everyone what she can do.

"You ready Pet?" She just looked at me with an arched eyebrow clearly saying 'do I have a choice?' "Good. Let's go." We ran to the pit where the other newborn were waiting. When we stopped all eyes fell on me. "Alright fuckers, line up. Mistress Maria wants to watch today. As soon as she gets here it's on." I turned to Bella and held my arm out. "In line Pet." I smacked her ass as she walked passed and held back a chuckle when she hissed at me.

I became flanked by Peter and Char. I wonder what they are doing here. It was my job to do this. They are never here for this stupid shit. I crossed my arms when I looked at Peter. "What the fuck are you two doing here? And no fucking Jedi shit Peter."

"I have no clue. Not even an inkling of a clue. We saw Maria about an hour ago and she told us to be here. So your guess would be as good as mine, Major."

What the fuck is she up to? First she wants to be here, not a biggie, it is her army, but to have Peter and Char both here too, I just don't fucking get it. Anyways when I looked towards her cabin I saw her come out. I turned back to the fuck ups. I straightened my back, squared my shoulders, and held my head up, then barked out "ATTENTION!" And just like that everyone snapped to it. My pet followed her with her eyes while everyone else turned their heads to see her.

"I am positive that the Major said attention. That means you pieces of shit are to face forward, not looking elsewhere." She turned to look at me and winked. Oh fuck it all, this is going to either piss me off or I am going to find it funny as hell. "Isabella, front and center." Piss me off it is then. But like the perfect soldier she is, she wasted no time appearing in front of Maria. She dipped her head in respect before she looked her in the eye. Maria saw the claim mark and her amusement shot through the roof. She turned to look at the other newborns standing there confused as to what was going on. "At ease." They complied. "I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea here. The Major still has a job to do today, and it is still going to be done. However, no one is going to be fighting Miss Isabella here." As soon as she said that the relief I felt was enough to make me laugh out loud. Maria turned to look at me, "No one will be fighting her, because she is going up against me."

My eyes went huge. Oh fuck that that. Just as I was about to say something, Isabella stepped forward. "Mistress?"

She winked at me again before she turned back to my Pet. "You have been under the constant eye of the Major. After a year of nonstop training, it's not fair for you to fight against someone so far under you. Of course you're goin' to destroy any one of them. The only way for me to know just what you can do is to personally see it." She turned to the others. "Pair off and begin." She turned to Peter. "Caption, the Major does not interfere. It's your ass if he does." Then she turned to me. "Let's see if she really has what it takes on her own and not with the protection of the God of War, shall we? Sergeant, watch the others, I don't think that the Major will be able to concentrate on anything going on over there. Ready Isabella?"

She looked to me, looking for the go ahead. I was at a loss. I knew she didn't have a choice, but that really didn't stop me from worrying. I rubbed my hands over my face, then through my hair. "She's the boss Darlin', better go all out and hold nothing back. She sure as fuck won't." I crossed my arms and resigned myself to watch what could be my pet's very last fight. I trained her well, but there are 2 vampires alive that could win ageist her in a fight and Maria is one of them. Peter put a hand on my shoulder. It was out of comfort, but I didn't feel very comforted. I knew one thing was for fucking sure though, if she lives, there no more fucking around. She will be my mate by the time the sun rises.

Maria made some space between them. When she turned back, she was met with no fear. Isabella stood tall and proud facing her mistress. "Now, Isabella, these are the rules. You are fighting for your life. I will be trying to kill you. However, you are to do nothing more than mock decapitation. Your teeth get within biting distance to a killing blow, you win, and you live. If mine do, well, I'll make the real kill. As you master told you, don't hold back. Anything to say before we start?"

"Yes ma'am." I closed my eyes. This is going to be bad. "Shut the fuck up and bring it bitch." My eyes snapped open and looked to see a smirk on both their faces. They dropped down into crouches. Maria looking like Satan with black eyes. Isabella had her hands on the ground. I have no clue why she does that, but, hey, I am just hoping she survives. Maria leaned back getting ready to pounce, but my Pet as faster. She shot forward faster than a bullet from a gun and collided with Maria barely out of her starting point.

They went tumbling across the ground, flipping, turning, rolling, both trying to get the upper hand. Maria has almost two centuries on Isabella, but she was seriously the fastest vampire in the world. She always slowed down when she was in a mock battle. It was the only way I could see what she was doing to help her fix what she did wrong. When we went hunting she had to go slower so I could keep up. She is not all that physically strong, not weak by any means, but with her speed, it never fucking mattered.

When they came out of their roll Isabella was on top, but had a piss poor hold. I growled and Peter tightened his grip. He knew damn well that if I wanted to get out of his hold I could, but my pet was doing fine for the moment. There was no need to get involved. I would humor Maria and stay out of it for now, but if it looked like she was about to kill her, I was stepping in, and there is no guarantee that Maria would live, and she knew that was all I was doing. I don't know what the fuck was going through her head when she thought of doing this bull shit, but I will NOT stand by for her harming my future mate.

I heard Bella scream and my head snapped to the sound. Peter now had a hold of both arms, and had a death grip on me. Bella was on her back trying to get out of the choke hold she was in. We don't need to breath, but it was uncomfortable not to. Maria got a grip on her arm and ripped off. I saw fucking red. The sound that came out of me had everyone's attention. All the fighting stopped, all eyes were on me, and I only had eyes for the cunt that dared to hurt what was mine. I was not moving, not because I was afraid I would hurt Peter if I did; he let go, so that was not a problem.

I wasn't moving because I knew if I went after Maria I would hurt my mate. So instead of taking her by force, I settled on talking. But I was not Jasper, I was not even the Major, I was the fucking God of War, and the tone I used was one that no one could ignore. "Enough. If you want to live, I highly suggest you let her the fuck go. You are only alive because I allow it. You're only in charge because I allow it. But I swear to God, if you harm a single hair on her head, I will destroy you. She is mine; you will do well to remember that. It really does not matter if she can fight, after today she will be mated to the most feared mother fucker to walk the planet. I think she will be just fine."

Maria's amusement could be felt even if you weren't an empath. "Is that a fact? You forget Mi Amore; I made you."

"And he's not fucking around. He really is about to kill you." Thank you so much Peter. I could feel fear, but she didn't want to look weak in front of her army.

"Hmm, I think that she has a punishment that still needs to be served." She stood up and grabbed Bella's arm. "Until you remember your place Major, I keep this. One more word out of you, and I burn it. What kind of mate will you have then?" she just experienced my pets speed; she really shouldn't have taken her eyes off her. Bella jumped up, ripped her arm out of Maria's hand and was behind me faster than a vampire could blink.

I was on Maria before she knew what was even going on. I had her off the ground by her neck but made sure she was looking me in the eye. "You seem to have forgotten who the fuck I am. You have gotten comfortable in your position of power, but you forget, it is because of me you have it. You are not feared, I am. You are not who the masses cower from, I am. You don't have the name that strikes fear in the stone hearts of vampires everywhere that would also be me. Isabella is my mate, she is under my protection. If you even go near her, I will not hesitate to kill you. Sire or not, I will burn your ass. You need me, I don't need you."

"You came back to me when your last mate fucked around behind your back."

"You're absolutely right. I came back on my own accord. And I will walk away just as easily as I did last time if you test me. Stay away from my mate bitch, or you will die. Am I at all being un fucking clear?" She shook her head no. Oh no bitch, not good enough. "No what?"

She gulped. "No, Major. I got it."

"Good." I dropped her, and with as short s she is, it was a long way down. I turned around and stalked more than walked up to my pet. I looked at her arm in her hand, and then inspected the shoulder socket. I pursed my lips and blow a breath out of my nose. That is going to hurt to put back on. I took the arm from her, turned her towards our cabin, and I called over my shoulder to the newborn that were just standing there watching, "Dismissed. We'll do this tomorrow." I felt a massive amount of confusion. I stopped, turned my upper body to them and narrowed my eyes. "If you really wanna do this now, you will all go against me and I will kill you all. I fucking said dismissed. That means SCATTER!" Not a second later, they were nowhere to be found.


	11. Chapter 11

I had my hand on the small of Bella's back as I directed her to the cot in the corner of the room. My gift works better with contact and I was sending her as many calming emotions as I could think of just trying to take the edge off. She has not made a single sound since the scream she let out when she had her arm ripped off. I looked down at it and saw a river of venom running down her side. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I really felt for her. I know how bad that shit hurts, but she is sucking it up. I sat her down and put her arm down beside her. "This is going to hurt and you are going to need blood to fuse back together. The bigger the body part, the more blood you need. You stay here, do not move from this spot. I'm going to go to town and get some fast food for you."

She snorted out a laugh then winced. "Fucking fuck! This is so much worse than the fingers, or even the toes." I didn't know you could whimper and scream at the same time. It was really pathetic. But I was not going to tell her that.

"Well Pet, I told you when you woke up that the bigger the body part the worse it hurts. I was not kidding. It all had to do with how much venom you lose. Venom to us is like blood to humans, only we can't lose enough to die. Our wounds will fuse closed without our body part before that can happen. But, I want a whole mate, at least to begin with. So, you stay here and I will be back in fifteen minutes. Peter will be right outside if you need him."

Her eyes were beseeching when she looked at me. "Please, please don't leave."

I took her chin in my hand and turned her face up to look at me. "Isabella, you're my mate, or will be when we fix you up. You're my responsibility. You're going to be just fine as long as you stay inside. If there is ever a time that you should be cussing everyone out that you see, now would be that time. None would hold it against you. Be strong for fifteen minutes."

"Fuck you! I don't want you to stay for any other reason than it hurts less when you're here! It's all your fucking fault that I'm in the position that I'm in asstard!" I chuckled at that.

"And that's the reason that I'm going to go get you something to eat. If you want to rant and rave, Peter will be more than happy to listen."

"But I'm not pissed at him, I'm pissed at you! Why should he get the tongue lashing that you deserve?"

"I'll happily take it when I get back. Just be a good little girl and fucking sit still. THAT will make it hurt less." I took step back making her huff and cross her one arm over her chest. It was kinda funny, the mistake was I laughed loud enough to be heard.

I heard Peter out right laugh. "You're fucking retarded Major. You're gonna be mate is going to kick your ass." I looked to the door wandering what the fuck he was talking about. And in doing that I took my eyes off Isabella. I knew that's a bad idea when she's pissed off.

She slammed into me and knocked me down. Somehow she got me pinned to the floor even with one arm. She was in my face growling like a pissed off puppy. The venom flowing from her arm dripped onto my shirt and burned right through. Her eyes were flat black from pain, anger and thirst. God she was hot. I flipped us over so I was on top and just stared at her. I know my eyes were black, but for a totally different reason. "I don't know what the fuck you think you're doing young lady, but I am still in charge," I grabbed her good arm and tossed her ass right back onto the cot. "And I said keep your ass right there. Don't move again." And with that I was out the door. I walked past Peter and his shoulders with his attempt to not laugh. "Keep it up fucker. I dare you. I am not really in the mood for your own personal brsnd of fuckary right now."

"Of course Major. What are your orders?" That's better.

"No one goes in. Period. She is to stay put. I am holding you responsible for her in my absence. Don't disappoint me Caption. That's my mate, and I really hope that you know just what that means."

"Absolutely. Something happens to her, I die. Easy enough to understand. Go get her something to eat. Hunt yourself while you're gone. There really is not that much shit she can get into right now."

"I'll hunt when she's taken care of. There are way too many things amiss tonight for me to feel right not being here."

"Than you better be on your way then. I promise, she'll be just as you left her. More pissed off, but, she'll be fine. See ya in a bit." He stood with one shoulder on the wall with his ankles crossed. Fucker is up to no good.

I rolled my eyes and took off towards the town doing math in my head trying to figure out how much venom she lost so I knew how much blood she would need. I know she needs more than one human, but I don't think that she'll really need two whole ones. I'll take two back just in case, and what she can't eat, I'll finish. I didn't really worry about being picky, I just walked up to the first two people I saw and sent them enough shit to just put them to sleep. It's so much easier and they don't put up a fight I'll wake them up when I get back. I tossed them over my shoulders and took off back towards the camp. I think that once I get her fixed up and make my pet completely mine, we are going on a vacation. I know she needs some time away from here. Maybe it will settle her the fuck down some. I mean fucking Christ, that chick is walking on frayed nerves. I also think that before I mate with her, she should know what she's getting into. Not that she will have the choice to get out of it, but I think that she's entitled to know. Maybe with the knowledge of who I once was, she will finally comprehend shit that she still doesn't fully understand.

I slowed as I reached the edge of camp because I felt, you guessed it, my pet in a full on hissy fit. I could hear her going ape shit and Peter was doing a dang up job calming her down. Yeah, not so much. I took off again and stopped when I got to the door. I understood then. Peter went inside and she didn't like it. I can deal with this one of two ways. I can either go after Bella and make things worse, or take out what has her in an uproar in the first place. Just what the fuck do you think I'm going to do? Yup, you got it. I dropped by two humans on the ground. The jarring woke them up, but it really didn't matter at this point. They were going to die, let them see what's about to go down.

I ran inside and stopped to look at the situation. And can't say I liked it. Bella was in the corner, in a very defensive position, hissing and growling like her live depended on it. Had it been anyone but Peter, she very well could have been. But she didn't know him, there for felt threatened. He was way too close for my liking and I'm not the one that's hurt and freaked out. I had him by his neck, feet dangling off the floor. "I could have sworn that I said no one was to come in here. Is there any GOOD reason that you're here?"

His hands flew up, palms forward. Like it was going to save him from something. "She was throwing a fit. I was just trying to calm her down."

"And what a fan fucking tastic job you're doing too. She is hurt, scared, hungry, and pissed the hell off. Had she NOT been throwing a fit, then you should have been worried and came inside."

"Major, if I had not come in, she would have gotten hurt worse."

"And she would have learned from the mistake. When I give an order, I expect it to be followed. If that order pertains to my mate, you better fucking believe that it is to be followed to the god damned tee."

"I know Major, but…" Nope, not looking for any excuses.

"Shut the fuck up, Caption. I don't want to hear it. Get the fuck out and go see to the newborns. I don't want to see you until tomorrow. Am I clear?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good." I set him down and he was out the door. Then I turned to Isabella. She was still growling and her eyes were murderous. Peter did something. Just his mere presence should not have set her off like this. Over the past year she met him, fought against him, and with him. Newborns won't do that if there is not at least at small amount of trust there. I'll figure it all out later, but for now, she needs an out for all the pent up aggression. Hmm, I guess the backgrounds will just have to wait. She'll snap if she can't get it out of her system soon, and there is nothing in the world better than angry fucking. "Knock it off, Pet. He's gone. It's just the two of us, and I have your dinner."

I walked out the door at a human pace. Anything to fast and I know she will attack. I opened the door and grabbed both humans by the collar of their shirts and pulled them inside. I tossed them both to her feet and bowed my head. "Eat all you can. Trust me, you're going to need it." And she did. With nothing further said she grabbed the first and just sunk her teeth in. that's how I found out how drained she was. She likes to play with her food then break their neck. Not this time though. She was brutal with the first and had him drained in under a minute. I smirked as she stalked up to the second. I just took a place on the wall and put my shoulders on it, bent my knee and put my foot on the wall. I figured I would make it a little more fun for her. I sent the human a strong dose of aggression and confidence. When he rounded on her the look on her face was priceless. She shot me a smirk and gave me a quick nod. She knew what I did, and was very thankful for it.

"You think you can just kill my friend and get away with it? Fuck you cunt, I'll kill you for this."

"Let's go then tough guy." Then they danced for a few moments. It was kinda funny. She even pretended to get hurt when she was hit. I am wondering how long it's going to take him to notice that she only has one arm and no blood coming from the wound. Too long for her taste I guess. She was still hungry and he was bleeding. Game over dude. She grabbed him by the chin and twisted behind him. She looked me right in the when she went for the kill. She knows what is about to happen, but she doesn't want me anywhere near her kill. The eye contact was just so she felt she had a smidge of control over the situation. Well my dear, you don't.

She was starting to slow down on her pulls of blood. I pushed off the wall and walked up to her. She growled at me but didn't let go. I stopped a foot from her, way to close for any other vampire to get to her while feeding. She was growling to the point that blood was dripping out of the corner of her mouth. "Cut it out. You're being wasteful." She kept it up, and threw the body at me. I looked at it, shrugged, and sank my teeth in to finish him off. By law she is too young to be a sire, so I had to stop his change. When I finished her dinner I dropped the body, and had her pressed into the wall with her legs around my waist. She was still was not eye level with me, but I really didn't matter. It was time to claim my mate, and I could give a fuck if the world was on fire; this was going to happen.


	12. Chapter 12

I was looking in her eyes and what I saw there was strange for me. Devotion, submission, and acceptance I was all too familiar with, but the spark of love and doubt was something that I was not. She still had blood running down her chin, her eyes still black, she was breathing hard. It was the most beautiful thing I ever seen. I dipped my head and licked the blood off her breasts. This was nothing new. She is a messy eater, so I do this often. Up her neck, and over her chin, also not new, what was was I kept going till I reached her lips. I have stayed away from them this whole time. When the tip of my tongue touched her lips, her eyes went wide and her shock and surprise hit me like a ton of bricks. Not moving away from her I very gently asked, "What has you so shocked? You know what's going to happen, this should not be a surprise my pet."

She hesitated before answering. "You're the only one to ever touch me like that, like this. I just didn't, don't know, what I'm doing or how I should feel about it." Her voice was nothing but a whisper in the wind, but I heard it. Now I was shocked, and didn't do a fucking thing to hide it.

I pulled back only enough to see her eyes. They were cast down in what I was taking as shame. I mean she was almost 23 and never experienced with anyone what she has with me in the past year. I dipped my head down to see her eyes. "You're telling me that Edward never felt you like this?" I pushed my hips forward to show her what I was referring to. She closed her eyes and hissed. Hmm, guess not. That put a smile on my face. I put my mouth right next to her ear and whispered, "No man has EVER touched you at all?"

She shook her head no. "Edward was the only person I have ever been in a relationship with. He was the only one to ever kiss me, and it was always a closed mouth thing." There is that fucking shame again.

The demon and the man in me were going fucking nuts in joy. My pet has never been touched. I ran my nose down her neck till I hit my bite mark. When I spoke this time, my lips were brushing it, "If that is the case, after tonight Pet, I will be the only one to EVER do it right. Don't think that this is a bad thing; it just makes you completely mine. I will be your first and last real kiss. I will be your first and last lover. After tonight Isabella, everything you have will be mine." I felt her shiver. "I was going to wait till we had you back in one piece, but now that I found this out, I can't wait any longer to have you." I kissed my bite, drug my lips over her jaw, across her cheek and stopped at her lips. Hovering just above them, my lips brushing hers I spoke in the softest voice I think I have ever used, however not leaving any room for argument. "MINE." Then I kissed her.

It was not soft, it was not sweet, it was a claim, and it was marking my territory. It was hard and dominating. I didn't ask for permission into her mouth, I just took it. The moment my tongue touched hers, she melted. I felt her lust shoot through the roof. And it was all for me. I ran my hand up her side that still had her arm and when I reached where I could move it, I grabbed and pinned it above her head. I ran my other hand down her other side, grazing her breast on the way. She moaned and tried to push her body closer to mine. Not about to have that. I stilled my movements and with my hand pushed her back into the wall. I broke the kiss, but didn't move, "I am in control here pet, don't move. All good things come to those that wait." And I kissed her again. I slid my hand down farther until I reached the band of the shorts she was wearing. I wasted no time ripping the fuckers off. When my hand found her skin again I was shocked and pleased to find it bare. Going lower as I grazed her folds I found it dripping wet and perfectly ripe for me. And that was it. I know it will be her first time ever, but, there was no way that I was going to be able to take it slow.

She was shaking in her attempt to keep still. Her emotions and the smell of her arousal were telling me all I needed to know. She was ready. I had my belt undone, pants unzipped, and dick out faster than I ever had before. I was running on pure instinct at this point. I was not the Major, she was not my pet. I was a male vampire and she was my mate being taken for the first time. I positioned myself at her opening, shot her with a heavy dose of calm, and slammed into her in one shot. She was so tight that it was somewhat painful. I could get used to that. She screamed out and I rivaled in it. I stopped just long enough for her to stretch out, then continued in long, hard, smooth and fast strokes. Before long, she was panting even harder and struggling to stay still. But she was doing well.

This was not going to last for either of us. With one hand still keeping hers above her head, I used my other hand to find her clit. When I found it I gave it a pinch and I sent her over the edge. When her walls clamped down, I lost myself in it. With two more strokes I found my release and my teeth found the spot below her right ear and snapped shut on their own accord. I was still running on instinct, so when I got through her skin and could taste her venom, I swallowed some before pushing more of mine inside her. Beats the fuck out of me why I did it, but whatever. It tasted like sugar and something else. That was more than likely my own venom, but it was not an unpleasant taste.

I licked the wound closed and pulled back. When I looked at her, her eyes were closed and head was back breathing hard. I nuzzled my nose to hers and she opened her eyes. They were back to a bright red from her dinner and still slightly glazed over. She had a slight smile on her face and her emotions were the calmest they have ever been. I looked her dead in her eyes and said the only thing I could think of. "Mine."

She met my stare, her eyes locked on mine. Then she nodded, "Yours. For all eternity, yours." Damn fucking straight. I kissed her again, much more gently this time.

I pulled out of her and heard a whimper. I smirked at her before set her on her feet. I looked down at her and saw her standing a submission position I have only seen other mated females in before. Her head was down like always, but her shoulders were slumped as well, her hand was behind her back, fingers positioned to be laced together with her other hand resting in the small of her back. I put the tip of my finger under her chin and lifted her head up. "Why don't we get you put back together now hmm? There are a few things I think need to be talked about yes?" She nodded and looked longingly at her arm. I redid my jeans and turned to walk over to it thinking that she would come with me, but she didn't move. Didn't even look like she wanted to. "Coming Pet?" She casted her eyes back down and walked over to me, but didn't stand next to me like usual. She stopped about three inches behind me. I shrugged and went over to the cot and nodded to it indicating her to sit.

"Now, this is going to hurt, but really should not take long since you just fed. While you heal I'll tell you my history here, and anything that I have not you yet about what being my mate means. After that, you're going to tell me what happened to you after your birthday." I figured if I went first and didn't hold back, neither would she. I started with joining the army. Told her about how I met Maria, every last detail of what I did here before I left. I told her about finding Alice and the journey to find the Cullens. I told her everything that happened before we met, and what happened on our end after that god awful birthday. I finished up by telling her about how I ended up back here, and everything I did before she woke up.

"There really is not a whole lot to this part Pet. I came home early from a family hunting trip. Alice stayed home because there was some kind of fucking sale to go to. I kept my mind off going home so I could surprise her. But I was the one that was surprised. When I walked in I heard her and that piece of shit ex of yours upstairs. My mind was on other things, so I know why Alice didn't see, but I would have thought that Edward heard me. I was up there faster than lightning. I busted in the room, OUR room soon enough to catch them getting out of bed. I just stood there, not moving, not breathing, and not doing anything. It was like my body was on lockdown.

"I heard a growl and I snapped out of it. I lunged at Edward and had his arm in my hand smacking him the face with it before I even really registered moving. Next thing I know I'm slammed in the wall, Em was in my face growling with Alice behind him screaming that I finally snapped. They were dressed at this point, but everyone could smell the sex in the room just as easily as I could. Esme was the one to tell me to go while she was holding Edward in her arms. I was still growling when I kicked Emmet in the chest to get him off me. My parting words were, 'If I ever see any of you again, I will kill you.' Then I left. I went to Peter's place and my belongings were waiting for me. I assumed that Alice was the one that sent them, but I found out that Peter had gotten them out of storage about a week before the discovery. A week after I showed up there, we came back here and have been ever since. Things were like we never left."

I looked at her when I was done and she had black eyes again. I tested her emotions and all I felt was fury, wrath, and a shit ton of anger. I don't think I have ever felt something so strong in my after life and I grew-up on a battlefield. She slowly turned her head to look at me and when she did I kinda wanted to shrink into a tiny little object that she could not see. When she started talking, I could not stop the shiver the leaked down my back. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I shook my head no. truth be told, I was slightly afraid to talk anymore. My mate was one scary little bitch when she's this pissed. When she spoke next her voice was nothing but a whisper. "That fucking little piece of Victorian ass trash." No animosity there at all.

"I think it's about time for you to tell me what happened after I ran out of the party." And she told me everything. I swear to god if I ever see him again I'll gonna kill him. "I wanna make sure I fully understand what you just said. He told you you were not good enough, then that he didn't love you, then left you ALONE in the woods? That about right?" she nodded. "Well, we already covered that part of that is true. He didn't really love you Pet, he loved to control you, but the rest of that is bull shit. What about after they all left?"

"Well, not a lot really. I was a zombie for most of it really. My dad couldn't handle a heartbroken teen so he sent me back to my mom. I didn't want to go, ya know in case they came back. But when it came down to it, I went. I was 18 so my mom didn't have to worry about staying home with me, so she spent all her time with my step father Phil. That left me to wallow in my own self pity in peace. Before long I realized almost three years passed me by and I didn't even know. Right after I turned 21 I moved to Texas. That's when I first saw Peter. I was working in a bar and he came in. I was the oh so lucky girl to serve a vampire. And every weekend for the next year and half he would come in, sit in my section and just watch me. Always ordered a bottle, drink half, give me the other half and was on his way. The night he bit me, was a really bad day for me. I found out that my father died during a routine traffic stop, my mom and Phil were killed in a drunken hit and run. On the same day I lost both my parents, I was technically killed by a vampire. Then the first thing I saw when I wake up is the vampire that started it all." She let out a humorless chuckle. "And, to top off that fuckary, I am now the mate of said vampire." She dropped her head and shook it from side to side. "Sorry, Major, no offence."

I looked over at her and just stared at her for a moment. Then I sighed and pulled her into my lap. "Well darlin' that answered a question that I never thought I would get an answer to. Where the fuck Peter vanished to all the time." Something I am going to have to talk to him about later. I took her chin in my hand and turned her to face me. "What would you say to getting out of here for a while?"

Her eyes brightened and she flashed me a small smile. "Really Major? Like a vacation?"

"Yes Pet, a vacation. You have worked hard the over the past year and I think you earned it." I gave her a smile as I pushed her hair out of her face. "And I think, now that you're finally, fully, my mate, as long as it's just us, just like I promised you a year ago, you are welcome to call me Jasper."

I saw her eyes darken and she twisted in my arms so she could put her arms around my neck. "I don't think I can do that anymore, Major. I have spent the last 378 days calling you Major, and what happened last time I called you by name being fresh in my mind, no thank you. I'll just stick with Major. That is, if that's alright with you Sir." I think I am going to like this whole mating thing.

"Whatever you say Pet, whatever you say." I put her back on the cot and stood up. "So, where do you want to go?"

"As long as it's not here, I could give a fuck. But you still have not told me what else is all involved being your mate."

I turned to look at her. "I don't have to. I have noticed that since you got the second bite, you are doing everything I want you to. You have enough of my venom in you, one because I personally bit you twice, but I am Peter's sire, so you had a dose of my venom when you were turned, that your instincts are going to lead you in the right direction. I'll still tell you if I want you to do something, but for the most part, I won't have to do anything."

"Alright. Question, why did you take mine when you bit me?"

"Honestly, I'm not 100% on that. I think it has to do with keeping track of you. It's like; we can always find out sire if we want to because we share venom to a point. I think by taking some of yours, it will help me find you if we are not together for some reason. But again I am not completely sure. Chances are there are a multitude of reasons, but it comes down to this one. I was a male vampire taking his mate. After I kissed you that second time, I was not in control anymore than you were. I was just doing what I knew I should. You have never followed your instincts, I never let you. And now, you have a whole different kind. I would suggest you follow these ones." I poked her nose with my finger to drive my point home. "Now, back to the topic of conversation, how does Paris sound?"


	13. Chapter 13

I am sitting back in my seat looking at Bella be all pissy because she didn't get her way when it came to our travel plans. That was a fun fight.

 **FLASHBACK**

" _If we are going to be around a bunch of humans I can't eat, than I need to get as use to it as I can so I don't go all blood crazed newborn out there."_

" _Hey there dipshit, you're not a newborn anymore. You're over a year old."_

" _And guess what ass clown; I have only ever been near humans when it's time to eat."_

 _I rubbed both hands over my face, growling in frustration. "A plane in the air is not the place to test your control. If you lose it up there, there is nothing that can be done to cover it up. Think about it Bella, if you lose control there will be pandemonium, there will be a crash, and…" fucking Christ I hate being interrupted._

" _We will walk away from it."_

 _I dropped my head and grabbed my hair to keep from throttling her. "Not if there is a fire. God, I don't remember you being this stupid."_

" _I wasn't. It must be your venom that dropped my I.Q." She crossed her arms and smirked at me. Ouch. That was a little below the belt. To make things worse, I had no response to that, and she knew it. But then it hit me. My head snapped up and I looked at her as a slow smile ghosted to my lips. I saw her gulp and my smile got even bigger. Alright, I got something for you Isabella._

 _"Tell ya what Darlin', I'll give you a chance to prove to me you can be on a passenger plane. If you pass by MY standards, we will take a regular plane, if not, we do this my way."_

 _She actually scoffed at me. "So this is about you thinking that I can't do it?"_

 _I pursed my lips, squinted my eyes a little and turned my head slightly, "Uh, yeah. Did you think it was about something else? Did I not pay close enough attention to you during training and you took a nasty blow to the head or what?" Fucking hell._

 _"No, I never took a nasty blow to the head." Yeah, I think you did._

 _"Right. Anyways, you up for the challenge?"_

 _"Of course. I can do anything you can do." That reminds me of a song I once heard. But that's getting a little off topic. "What am I doing?"_

 _"Simple. I am going to take you hunting." She went to open her mouth, and I growled at her. "You interrupt me again and it will be cold day in hell before we go any fucking where, got it? Your ass knows better." Her mouth snapped shut and she lowered her head. Good Girl. "Now, as I was saying, I am simply going to take you hunting, but, I am not going to cap your bloodlust like I always do. You're on your own. The rules are one snap, hiss, growl, even a twitch and you lose. If you're going to be around humans in that small of a space, you have to act like one, and I have not worked with you all that much in doing so. Think you can handle that?" She looked at me with pissed off eyes. "What the fuck has your damn panties in a bunch now?"_

 _"All this time you have been controlling my bloodlust?"_

 _I shrugged. "Yes, I certainly have been, and with good reason."_

 _"Then why the fuck won't you do it so I can get on a fucking plane?" I shrugged again. "Answer me goddamn it!" I narrowed my eyes. I have been letting her slide with a lot more since I took her as my mate but I will be good god damned if she thinks she can talk to me like that._

 _My voice dripped with malice like my teeth dripped with venom. "My little pet stepped out of her place and that shit is not going to fly. I have not just been capping your bloodlust. I have been controlling all your emotions, keeping everyone of them at a level that you could handle. As a human, you felt like a vampire, as a vampire they multiplied. If I didn't, you would have ripped yourself apart. Every time you felt your bloodlust, it was only what I allowed you to. Tell me, are you thirsty now?" she shook her head no. I dropped my voice even lower, making me sound even more sinister, "Wanna make a fucking bet?"_

 _I pulled my gift back from her all the way for the first time in over a year. This was the first time she ever felt anything full force since after our first hunting trip. I still don't know why I couldn't feel her when she first woke up, but since then, I'll say this; it took awhile for me to get used to her emotions and having to constantly control them. I watched her as the full weight of her emotions hit her. Her eyes turned the darkest black that even I have ever seen, she was shaking to the point her teeth were clattering, and she pulled her lips back as an impressive growl ripped itself from her chest. I moved to stand right in front of her. "See what the fuck I mean? This is what you would always feel if I didn't control your shit. This is what I keep from you everyday so you don't go crazy. You're not newborn, but it will take you years to be able to handle that."_

 _Her teeth were still clenched and her voice was shaking when she tried to talk. "How? I mean, how do you handle this all the time, on top of your own?"_

 _"I have been doing just that all my undead life. I know what to give who and when to do it."_

 _"What about when you were with the Cullens?" I felt her about to lose it so I capped her emotions again._

 _"That was when it happened the most often. That many vampires in that small of a space can be a very volatile situation, my dear. It was because of me that they did so well. They had no clue I was doing it. I stopped so many fights from breaking out. Look, I don't want to talk about them ever again." I reached out and pulled her into my arms. "I have been very slowly pulling back and letting you get used to it small amount at a time. But you still have a long way to go. We are going to do this my way, and while we are gone, I will help you with acting more human. Deal?" she melted into me and nodded her head in my chest._

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

I know that I wore a very triumphant smirk on my face because every time Bella looked at me she would sneer at me before turning her head away. I snickered and she shot me a death glare. "Bella, would you settle the fuck down? I can't believe that you are so upset about this."

"It's not just the plane Major. It's that all this time I thought that I was doing well with everything, and then I find out that I am even more dependent on you than I thought. You're always so upfront with everything else you do to me. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"You really don't know why I just did it and didn't tell you? Darlin', that is an obvious answer if there ever was one. You are the most stubborn little bitch I have ever met. Had I told you what I was doing, and you told me to stop, and I didn't, which I would not have by the way, you would have freaked out, blown up about it and gotten yourself hurt or worse. Ever since you opened your eyes it has been my job and responsibility to protect you, even if it was from you yourself. And I think you have learned well enough by now that I take all my responsibilities very seriously."

"I understand that much, but even I did ask you to stop it, and thrown the hissy fit we both know I would have thrown, we both know that you would have done what you wanted anyways. I just want to know why you didn't tell me. I could have done…" I hate being interrupted, but I don't mind doing it.

"Done what Isabella? I showed you what I keep from you."

"And I kept in control!"

"No you really didn't, but that's not the point I am trying to make here. When it comes to you, and we have been over this, I make all the decisions. If I want to keep shit from you, I will. Vampire mating is not a partnership no matter how much you want it to be. The male is in charge of every last detail of the relationship. And I know there is not a dick hanging between your legs; there for, you have no say in what happens what so ever. Moreover, I have been way more lax with you since I took you, so I don't want to hear a fucking thing about this ever again. But as far as your comment about being dependant on me goes, your dependency on me is not just because I keep your emotions in check. You're dependant on me for an entirely different reason. I never took your independence way, you gave it up willingly."

She looked at me like I grew a second head. "Don't look at me like that, it's true. Whether you know it or not, you did. It's in those pesky fucking instincts I told you about. You became 100% dependant on me the first time I bit your neck, but you already were to a large degree even before that. Do you remember when we were in that room when you first woke up and Peter barged in?" she nodded. "And, do you also remember when you bit him how you ran and hid behind me?" Her face lost any color it had with that statement. "See my point now? Even then, when you hated my fucking guts, you knew, at least somewhere in the depths of your mind that I was going to protect you and make sure you were safe. You did that all on your own. I didn't pull you behind me, didn't even cross my mind to do it. Peter is your sire and the only other vampire on the planet that won't do anything to intentionally harm you. That one move right there was the beginning of the end for you. You were six months old when I bit you the first time, that sealed the deal for you, but you put it in motion."

"Why do I have the feeling that there is more to it than just that?" What a smart little thing she is. There was dread both on her face and in her voice.

"That would be because there is. Again, the fucking female vampire instincts, always coming up to bite you in the ass. I said from the get go, you were mine. Your brain did the rest. Females always stay behind the male when they feel threatened. You ran behind me because your brain and instincts told you to."

"You keep calling me your mate, but you never refer to you as mine. Why is that?" Oh, this is going to piss her off.

"Because in our world, the female is the mate, the male is not. In other words, you're my mate, I'm not yours." I was right. She's pissed.

"That has to be the most fucked up thing I ever heard. And that can't be right. Esme calls Carlisle her mate, as does Rose with Emmet." How to put this in a way that makes since.

"That's because they are not REAL vampires. They try to play human; they try to be something they simply are not. They think that if they live the way they did before they were turned, that they are somehow saving themselves. They live in a fantasy world. There is no saving a vampire's soul, because we do not have one. We gave that up as that is the price for immortality. No matter what you were told and led to believe during your time with them, it's all false. Everything they told you is a lie when it comes to the vampire world. Granted, you were raised in the worst possible place to be raised in, but, they are the only ones, well them and five others, that do not embrace what they are. They run and hide from it."

She looked like she wanted to cry. "But, you lived that way for over 60 years. I'm sure in some of that time, and I know for a fact that she did, Alice called you her mate." Fuck, she is not going to like this.

"The one and only time she did that was when she introduced us. And after we left to go hunting, I corrected her. Besides, she was not even my mate. I might have lived there, I might have lived by their diet, but I have never once denied what I am."

"So your slip-ups?"

"Were done on purpose. I don't make mistakes. Everything I do is planned out down the letter. Everything I do is thought out from every angle, dissected to the tiniest degree. I am a vampire, but before I am anything else I am a soldier. Have been for the past 170 years. I am cold, calculating, and precise. Anyone that has even heard my name can tell you that. When it came to my 'slip-ups', I did it because I was hungry. Animal blood sucks. First of all, it tastes like shit and you literally only get enough out of them to survive. Had the Cullen coven come under attack, every last one of them would have died, even Emmet."

"And what about you?"

"Oh, that's cute. Fuck no. I am trained, and quite used to, fighting and winning even when I have not feed in weeks, months even. I would have walked away. Them? Not so much. That is, if someone was stupid enough to go against them with me there." She was quiet for a few minutes absorbing everything I just told her. After about ten I got annoyed. "So, anything else? We still have about ten hours left of our flight."

She looked deep in thought for a moment before she nodded. "You said you corrected Alice when she claimed you as her mate. What, I mean, how did you do it?" I just smirked.

"How do I always correct you when you make a mistake?" her eyes went wide. "Isabella, pain was and is always the greatest tool we have to work with. It gets the point across with little to no argument."

"Alright, I got that, but, how did the others not find out about it?"

"Oh, they all knew it. But they also knew who and what I am. They knew better than to cross me the wrong way. I got a disapproving look from them all, but they all know better than to tell a male vampire how to deal with their female. Alice knew what I was going to do even before it happened, but in order to not get caught fucking around behind my back, she went with it. I'm sure Edward made it all better when he got back from taking you home." She was quiet again. I think that might have hit a nerve.

"Alright, so since I really am your mate and I make that mistake, what will you do to me?"

"The same fucking thing. I will reiterate this one last time, you're mine, I am not yours. That does not mean that I am going to give you the run around. I have never once been with more than one woman at a time, and I don't plan on starting now. Let me ask you this. Did Eddie ever tell you about vampires and mating, or did everything you know come from me?"

"You."

"Fantastic. Alright, this is how it works. When vampires mate, it's for life. That's why you got two bites. The one on the left side is to show all others that you were already claimed by someone, and they intend to take you as their mate. The one on the right shows that the mating has already happened. It is a very rare thing that they both happen at the same time. It could be days, months, years, even decades between the two bites, but as long as the first one, the left one, happens, from that point on the female becomes the sole property of the male that made it."

"That, again, is fucked right the hell up."

"Depends on your perspective. Yes, it is sexist as all get out, but if you think about it, it's the male that protects the female, it is the male that makes the choices, and it is the male that takes any and ALL responsibility for whatever the female does. If you were to break one of the few vampire laws, the blame and punishment is all on me. It's a trade off, I guess is the best way to phrase it. That's the way it is and has always been. You cannot take anything real from observing the Cullens. They are the freaks among freaks."

"But." Nope, sorry.

"There are no buts here. It is how it is and there is nothing that you can do to change it. Sorry if you don't like it, but that's how it is in our world. I'll give you this one point. You are the mate of and belong to the most feared vampire that walks the earth. Things are a little different but far worse for you, but the basics are the same. My power makes me far more deadly than any other out there. I am the only vampire that has ever existed that has it, therefore very little is known about it because the people that learn the extent of it, don't live long enough to tell. On top of the fact that with it I can control your physical movements. There are a lot of people that would love to see me suffer, and the only way to do that would be to do something to you. So you see, you might see me as being over protective, even mean, but in all actuality, I am only doing what every other vampire does with their mate. And that is doing whatever the fuck is necessary to keep you safe and with me." At some point during that little speech I had leaned forward closer to her. So I sat back in my seat and waited for her to get going on how none of that had anything to do with what she had wanted to say.

"Can I ask you a question?" I waved my hand to tell her to go right ahead. "Do you do what you do with me because of some fucked up male vampire instinct, or do you do it because you actually care?"

"What are you referring to exactly?"

"All of it. Everything you have done since I woke up."

"You won't like the answer."

"And when has that ever mattered to you?" Fantastic question. The answer, never.

"Alright. Truth be told, no male ever truly cares for their mate from the start."

"I don't care about all the other males, I am asking about you personally."

"The former."

"So, you don't actually care?"

"I told you, you wouldn't like the answer. Tell me, how and what do feel about me?"

"Right now or in general?"

"Both."

"Right now I hate your fucking guts, but in general, I don't really know how I feel."

"Understandable. Now, answer the rest of my question, WHAT do you feel?"

"That's the same thing."

"No it's not. How you feel ABOUT someone is not the same as what you feel TOWARDS someone. I know right now you hate me, but that's only because you didn't like the answer I gave you. But for the most part you don't think I'm all that bad, However, what you feel TOWARDS me is what YOUR instinct tell you to feel for me, devotion and submission. You feel those because I demand that of you. It comes from my venom, and you can't ignore it, though I know you tried. It is MY 'fucked up male instincts' that tells me what I have to do to get you to behave how I want you to. Every relationship in the vampire world starts out just like ours. The male shows his dominance and forces the female into submission. Every one of us knows what we want our mate to do, and we don't let up on them till they do it. But like I said, things were worse for you because of who I am. I have to know that if for some reason we are not together, you can defend yourself until I can get there. Here is the truth to your question. Do I love you right now? The answer is a flat out no. Will I at some point? You have no idea how much. Do I care about you? A little, but more so, I care about what happens to you. Do I do what I do to you to be mean? Not at all. Do you mean anything to me at all? You absolutely do, you mean a lot to me. However, meaning something to someone is not the same as loving them, or even caring about them. I will kill anyone that hurts you and I would die to protect you."

"What if you're the one to hurt me?"

"I'm not talking about hurting your feelings. I'm referring to physically harming you in any way. If anyone, I don't care who or what they are, lays a hand on you, they will deal directly with me." After that, she was quiet for the rest of the trip. When the call came over the speakers that we were on our final descent, I looked over to her. She was looking out the window, just staring at nothing. I sighed. "Bella, listen, would you rather I lied to you about all this? I might not tell you everything, but what I do tell you will never be anything but the truth." She turned to look at me and I saw venom in her eyes before she turned away again. Mother fucker. I walked over to her, put my hand on her shoulder, and turned her to face me. "I want you to listen and actually hear what I am about to say and let me finish before you get all pissed. You mean the world to me Bella, more to me than my own life."

She looked up at me and with the most pathetic voice I have ever heard before. "I have been told that before."

"I am perfectly aware of that. I was there when Edward said it. But here's the thing, I am not Edward. I won't lie to you and tell you I love you when I don't, or that I care when I don't. I don't care as much as worry about you when I can't see you. I said this already, but I'll say it again and as many times as I need to for you to understand. You wanted eternity with a vampire, and that is precisely what you got. The difference between what you wanted and what you got is real. I am a real vampire, Edward is not. I am a real protector, Edward is not. You have to forget everything you thought you knew and go with what you know."

"I only know what you said and what I saw with my own eyes."

"And with that in mind, has anything I told you not hold true? If it makes it easier for you, think about a different relationship. Pick any one you have seen form in the past year. Have I done anything different than any of the other men have?"

"Not really."

"The difference between what they did and what I do is it is happening to you. Us males will literally do whatever we have to keep our mates safe. Remember what I told you about Peter and Char? Same thing applies. Do you think that Peter would risk everything for someone he didn't love? Vampires in general are very selfish. We always look out for number one. When we find our mate, they ARE our number one. Just like with humans, vampires have to grow to love their mates, but when we do, there is nothing that can break it, and nothing will ever destroy it." I took her chin in my hand and tilted her head up to look me in my eyes. "One day my mate, I will love you with every fiber of my being, but it will take time for me, just as it will take time for you." I bent down and kissed the tip of her nose. "Anything else before we get off the plane?"

She turned and looked out the window again. When she turned to look at me again her eyes were black. "Just two things." I arched an eyebrow asking her what it was. "The sun has not set yet, and uhh."

"And what?" I looked to where she was pointing. I felt my eyes go black as a snarl ripped itself free. "MOTHER FUCKER!"


	14. Chapter 14

When we left the plane, I grabbed Bella's arm and moved her behind me. There was a low growl coming from her, but not loud enough for the humans to hear, yet. But if she gets anymore worked up, that will not be the case.

"Calm down Pet, I'll take care of this. You just stay behind me for now." The little thing was trying so hard to calm down, but when you cut off one of their senses, it tends to make the young ones skittish. "If you don't do it yourself I will have to do it for you, and I know you don't like it when I do. Settle the fuck down."

She looked up at me with eyes that were begging me for something. "You said not to breathe. I can't calm down without breathing." I didn't think so.

I reached behind me and grabbed her hand. "You're fine darlin'. Nothing is going to happen here. I know better, and they wouldn't dare." I shot her with calm and took away her aggression. It was then that the last people that I ever wanted to see flagged us down.

With a fake smile plastered in place, Aro clapped his hands together. "Well, this is a wonderful surprise. Major Jasper Whitlock, how wonderful to see you again, and with a female's company. This is truly fantastic." God is he annoying. He was trying to get an eye full of Isabella, but I was not having that. I positioned myself so he could not see the short shit behind me.

"Aro, pleasure as always. You'll have to excuse her; she is still quite young and still very skittish."

"She has nothing to fear from me, Major, I assure you." Yeah, no fucking shit.

"I didn't think she did. Aro, I don't think that this welcome is for us. What brings you here all the way from Italy?"

"I was informed that a few of my dearest friends were coming here and I thought that I would greet them on their arrival. I was not expecting you to disembark." No, I bet you didn't.

"Seeing how we are not friends, I would not assume you would."

"Now now Major, that's not very polite. Are you going to introduce me to this young lady?"

"Nope, wasn't planning on it. But if you will excuse us. It was a long flight and she has gone to long without feeding."

"Yes, of course. Don't be a stranger Major. I would so love to get to know your companion."

"Mate, Aro. She is my mate, and it will be a cold day in hell before you 'get to know her', of that you can be sure."

"Mate? Now I must at least know her name. Any lady that can capture the heart of the most revered vampire alive must be special."

"Her name is of no consequence to you."

"Be careful Major. You forget to whom you are speaking to."

"Again, nope. I know precisely to whom I am speaking. I think it is you who forget who you are talking to. I can personally guarantee that you will be seeing more of what you did 70 years ago. The Southern Major is back, and that makes me and my mate off limits to you."

"No one is off limits Major. There are still laws, no matter what you think. You might be back to your old self, but you were not above them before, and you certainly are not now." I smirked. Wanna bet on that old man.

"If that is what you need to think to get you through your day Aro, go right ahead. I can feel your fear, and it is like balm to me. I find the fact that you are having a hard time not shaking in your boots a pretty good indicator that no matter what I do, you would never go against me. I have no problem proving my theory. That is, if need be." I cocked my head to the side. "Is it?"

"My guard is very capable to keep even you in line." At that I out right laughed.

"Your guard can't even look me in the eye. How the fuck are they to do anything if that tiny little feat can't even be accomplished? My newborns might know they are going to die in battle, but they show no fear and will look you in the eyes even while you are tearing off their head. Aro, I must say, you are getting soft. There was a time that even I feared you. But that was when you lived by the fact that there are things that can happen to us that are far worse than death." Bella was starting to shake behind me. I turned my head to look at her and her head was down. I could feel mirth coming from her. I can't believe she found this shit funny. I just shook my head. "As I said Aro, we must be on our way. I have a mate to feed, and you have people to meet."

"I do expect you to bring her to meet me Major. That is an order, not a request."

"Good thing I don't take orders from you, then. The only orders I follow are that of my mistress, and even then it's a bit iffy. Enjoy Paris while you're here. It is a lovely city." I pulled Bella along with me. "Come on Darlin', let's get you fed and a nice hot bath, yes?" She just nodded, probably not trusting her voice to talk with out laughing.

When we got outside it was cloudy enough to get to the car without sparkling like a fairy. That was also the point that my little instigator could not hold it in any longer. She was laughing so hard that she stopped walking and grabbed onto my arm to keep from falling. I just looked at her with a smirk, wondering what the fuck she found so funny. When she calmed down enough to talk she looked up at me. "Was that THE Aro? The king that Edward told me about?" I nodded. "Wow. Edward said that everyone was so afraid of him."

"I'm not. I don't know anyone from the south that is. Sure, they like to think that they can control what goes on there, but everyone knows they can't. They tried once, but they lost more guards than they killed off armies. Aro is a pansy ass. I know for a fact that my army could destroy his guard, and so does he." I opened her door and helped her in. when I got in the car I looked back over to her. She was feeling curious about something. "Something on your mind?"

"Why didn't you want to tell him my name?"

"With Aro, the less information you give him the better. He is one of the fuckers that would use you against me in order to bend me to his will."

"What does it do to our trip now that we know he's here, and he knows that you have a mate?" I closed my eyes and sighed. I knew she would pick up on that.

"Unfortunately, it will cause a problem. He has a tracker that will be able to follow us wherever we go. What that means is, my dear, you are not allowed to leave my sight. Or better yet, my side. If you get more than three feet away from me, I am going to be pissed. And I know that I promised it was going to be just us, but I am going to have to call Peter to come here as well." Her face dropped. I reached over and cupped her cheek. "I'm sorry, but while they are in the same country, I can't take any chances that would put, or lead, you to be in any danger. And as long as they are here, that is precisely what you are in."

"I don't understand. If you're so powerful, at least enough for him to be so afraid of you, why would he be stupid enough to do something like that?"

"Power makes the power hungry stupid. If he has his sights set on someone, he will do whatever he has to do to get them."

"And his sights are on you?"

"Have been for almost as long as I have been alive; well, a vampire anyway. If he gets his hands on you, he knows that I will go where you are. He also knows that I will do whatever he asks to ensure your safety. Even if it is working for him till I can get you out of there without harm coming to you."

"Why though?"

"Why though what? You're my mate, you belong to me and I don't take it well when people fuck with what's mine. How the fuck have you not learned this yet?"

"Gee, I don't know. It could have something to do with what you said on the plane. I think it was something along the lines of you not loving me. I think it could be…" I slammed on the breaks. When the car stopped, I got out. I walked way more calmly than I felt around the car and opened her door, grabbed her arm, pulled her out behind me and drug her into the woods on the side of the road.

When we got far enough into the woods that we could not be seen or heard, I whipped her around to face me. I didn't want to hurt her so I let go and took a few steps back. She went to put more space between us. I don't even fucking think so. "Move an inch, I fucking dare you." She stopped dead in her tracks. "That's what the fuck I thought. I am going to give you the chance to finish what you were going to say, and then I am going to handle it. Go ahead. Say whatever you want to."

She shook her head no. That pissed me off even more. "I'm not asking, I'm telling. Finish your goddamn thought." I was growling and I knew she was scared. At this point, my inner demon was basking in it, drawing on it, thriving on it, using it against her. If she had a heartbeat, it would be through the roof. I crossed my arms, stood at my full height, and waited. "We aren't moving from this spot till you do what you're told." I'll give her this much, she knows when the fuck to suck it up and take whatever I have in store for her. I knew when she gave up; her shoulders slumped and her head dropped.

"I was going to say, I think it was something along the lines of you not loving me. I think it could be," she took a deep breath, blew it out her nose, and shifted her eyes to look at me, carefully avoiding eye contact. "It could be something more about sharing a new toy that you're not done playing with yet." Her voice was no louder than a butterfly's wing flapping, but I heard her like she was screaming.

I stopped breathing. I felt my eyes go pitch black and hard as granite. "Anything else?" Jesus, I didn't even sound like me anymore. At this point, I know I can't touch her, because I know I will hurt her. She was hesitant before shaking her head no. "Isabella, right now is not the best time to lie to me." Her eyes widened slightly. I have never called her by her name when I'm pissed at her. It is always Pet. Then again, I have never been this pissed at her before. She shrank a little when my eyes narrowed on their own accord. "Well?"

"Umm, uhh, I can't Major."

"You fuckin' better. This is your last chance to do it willingly. It will be far worse if I have to make you." Her eyes dropped and started shifting back and forth. I know that look; I have seen it so many times before. "If the next thing out of your mouth is a lie, so fucking help you, you better make your peace with whatever God will listen. I'm done with your games." Her head snapped up and shock took over her face and eyes. A dark chuckle worked its way out of me, and I dropped my head. Not moving from the position I was in my eyes moved and locked with hers. A slow smirk downed my face and my eyes sparked with amusement as I saw her gulp. I still recognized my mate, but I was getting a very sick pleasure and even sicker satisfaction out of her fear. "Are you going to talk or am I going to have to get it out of you my way?"

She was literally shaking when she was able to muster up enough courage to talk on her own. "I don't understand how or why you would do all that for someone you don't love and only see as a Pet."

With my head still down, I turned it to the side. "A Pet? You have not been seen as a Pet in a very long time. You stopped being my little pet when I bit you the first time. You became much more than that when that shit happened. We have been over this, but perhaps, since you got all pissed, you stopped listening, or trying to understand how this shit works. So I will explain it one last time and God fucking help you if you ever pull this shit again. You are my mate. You mean the world to me. Not only would I kill those that try to harm you, I would die to do it. Your safely is my number one priority. God help those that try to harm you. I think the biggest thing you are having a problem with when it comes to understanding this concept, is I never told you WHY I chose you. And it was a choice. It's not a love at first sight thing. Not at all. There's no pull, there's no looking at them and just knowing, no shift in our chemical makeup. All that shit is just that, bull shit. We choose our mates based on how easy it is to make them into what we want, and their scent. That's it. The only draw we have is to your sent, and guess what the fuck. As soon as our venom is introduced into your system, your sent changes."

"But, the Cull…" I shot forward, had her neck in my hand, and her feet off the ground before she could finish the thought.

"Forget about the fucking Cullens! I am doing my best here to keep from doing anything to you, but I only have so much control and you're testing it worse than you did as a human. Everything you learned while with them is fuckin bogus. I have told you this I don't know how many times. What the fuck do I have to do to get this through your fucking thick ass skull, without literally beating it into you? Jesus H Christ Isabella, I swear you do this sit on purpose just to see what the fuck your limits are. Do I need to map them out for you?" She shook her head no. "Could have fooled the fuck out of me." I rubbed my face with my free hand. I looked back at her, shook my head, and took a deep breath. It was with that breath that I found out we were not as alone as I thought.

My head snapped in the direction the wind was coming from. I felt her tense in my hand and a growl built up in her chest. So she could smell them too. I set her on the ground and spun around so she was behind me. I was crouched down, muscles tight, ready to spring. I knew those scents, knew them very well. She didn't know who was coming up on us, but I did.

"Who is that, Major?"

A sick, sadistic smile came to rest on my lips. "Well my dear that would be Aro's dear friends." She was peeking over my shoulder, squinting her eyes, and trying to see into the dense forest. "Don't try so hard. You'll see them in a moment. But I'll bet anything you're not going to want to." I tested the emotions coming from them. Shock, wariness, curiosity. A very bad combo for a vampire to feel when approaching a fellow vampire. Then they came into the clearing, and the looks on their faces were enough to make me chuckle, but their mere presence was enough to set off my little lady. There is a reason I call her my little instigator.

"You have got be fucking kidding me." So eloquently put, I must say.


	15. Chapter 15

The sound that came out of my little lady was enough to send a shiver down even MY spine. I knew that she hated them, but I couldn't fathom that something so small could feel that much hate and not go crazy from it. I kept her emotions in check so that didn't happen, but fucking Christ; I wanted to go on a warpath from the level of it. And I think that she is going to. However, as I looked up and into the fearful golden eyes that were not 500 yards away, I couldn't find it in myself to try and stop her.

The very last two people that I ever wanted to see again in my entire life stood stock still, eyes wide, and mouths agape staring at my mate. Soon the shock started to wear off as disbelief and hope started to take their place. The stupid retard that he is, took a step forward, arm slightly raised, with a look of longing on his face. I shifted a fraction of an inch, clearly showing him that he is to stay the fuck back. His gold eyes flashed as met my red ones, but darkened as they took in hers. This didn't go unnoticed by my firecracker either. In fact, it only seemed to piss her off even more, if that was possible anyways.

Her chest rumbled with a constant growl, her teeth bared and dripping venom, eyes getting darker by the second. It was the single, hottest fucking thing I have ever seen in my life, and I have seen some hot ass shit. As I looked at her, I did nothing to hide the fact that I was ready to fuck the shit out of her, right here, right now. The decision was made to the point that I was planning out every position, every place, and every last fucking detail of the fuck fest. It made the eyes of the little pixy bitch standing across from me go out of focus, and the face of the bronzed hair ass pirate to shift to that of loathing and horror. Kinda makes him look like he has to shit, but wants to take it up the ass again, so he is torn between the two choices. That thought got a growl out of him and a smirk out of me when Bella growled louder right back at him.

He finally found his voice. "Bella? Is that really you?" Snarl. "Please, Love." Growl. "Bella, it's not safe with him. You don't know what he's capable of. Get away from him." With that last sentence, I felt her emotions snap and everything stopped. Her breathing, any noise she was making, and all movement. She had the stone stillness that only a vampire can achieve. Her eyes, even the whites of them, were black as midnight and hard as diamond. Holy mother fucker, in all my years, I have never, ever seen something like that. It sent a chill straight through to my bones, and a preemptive shudder through my limbs.

The pixy reached out and grabbed the ass pirate's arm and shook her head with a vengeance. "No, stay back. I can't see anything; I don't know what is going to happen." He looked back at her with an unreadable expression.

"I can't do that, Alice. You know how dangerous he is. I can't just stand by and let her be anywhere near him. You remember what happened when everyone else found out the monster he is, or do I have to show you the scar he left?" My eyes narrowed on their own. At this point, I was feeding off my mate's emotions and I was really not sure what was going to happen.

I felt eyes on me so I turned to look back to look at Isabella. There was no real way to tell what she was looking at because you could not see anything but black. I cocked an eyebrow at her waiting to find out what she wanted. She was swallowing every few seconds, so I knew she wasn't going to be able talk, but she could communicate just fine. She tilted her head toward them and very slowly raised her own eyebrow. Ah, I get it. She's waiting for her orders. I lifted one finger telling her to wait a moment. She narrowed her eyes. Guess she doesn't like that. I lifted both eyebrows, nodded, and flicked my wrist, showing my finger again. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The other two vampires, who were completely oblivious to our exchange, just kept arguing over what they were going to do. Alice wanted to turn tail and run, where Edward wanted to rush me in his attempt to take Bella. Not the smartest thing for him to be talking out loud about.

"Look, I am not leaving her with him. Look at her! He has destroyed her! I will not allow her to continue to live like this." Her head snapped to face them when that tidbit of information reached her ears. Her muscles tensed and coiled to spring, but he kept going. "He has to be controlling her. There would be no other reason for her to possibly want anything to do with him." Bella's growls continued to grow in volume, muscles growing tighter. You could hear her bones cracking under the strain of the tension.

I was watching Alice's eyes, seeing them go in and out of focus, trying in vain to see the outcome. Isabella was regressing down to her basic instincts. She would see nothing, for there were no decisions being made. Bella was going to attack, this I knew. I also knew I would not stand in her way when she did. She was cocked, locked, and ready to go. I'm not entirely sure why she hasn't yet, but I can guess. She is a trained soldier, would do nothing without on order, not if they don't attack her first.

Her body was poised, her fingers claws, her teeth begging to bite something. I looked from them to her, then back at them, then resting on her. She was begging me with her eyes for a way to let out the painful tension in her body. The sadistic and sinister look on her face and in her all black eyes was my undoing. With one last deep breath, I dropped in my fighting crouch, her following suit, barred my teeth, growled to get their attention, and spoke with all the malice, hate, anger, and wrath that my mate happily supplied me with. "Edward, for the love of fucking Christ and all that is held holy in this world, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" With that, my mate could take no more, and shot like a bullet from a gun, right at the ass pirate himself.

Screaming, yelling, laughing; that was all that could be heard. Confusion, fear, and very angry emotions were all I felt. Take a guess as to who was doing and feeling what. My little lady was once again proving that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Edward was once again proving what a little bitch he was, and Alice, well, she was proving to just be retarded. I guess she couldn't understand that Bella was really attacking, and that she really should run the fuck away. Vampires have a great fight or flight reaction, one that should never be ignored. If that shit flares, you really should listen and run like hell. But still she stood there, staring at Bella as she sunk her teeth into Edward's shoulder, in the same spot I did, and ripped the fucker off. She was laughing with a smile on her face the whole fucking time. And he thought I was a bad influence on her. She picked that shit up all on her own.

At least I think she did.

Edward and Bella rolled around on the ground, her teeth trying to find contact of any kind, and Edward trying to fight her off. I have seen her fight, and this was not it. She was toying with him. It was kinda cute in a fucked up sort of way. Alice finally snapped out of whatever stupor she was in and went to lunge at Bella. Well, I can't have that now can I? I grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and overhand through her ass to the other side of the clearing. "That's not a very good idea, Sprite." That got a growl out of her. She jumped to her feet and hissed at me. I just smirked. Dropping down lower, I extended and arm, palm up, and flexed my fingers, taunting her.

She took off towards me, but I just stepped to the side. I won't actually harm her. Just keep her occupied and out of Bella's fight. I have no doubt in my mind that she could take them both, but I wouldn't make her.

I heard my mate hiss and felt a spike of pain. I whipped around and saw Edward's teeth buried in Bella's side below her ribs. It was that point that I lost all thought and saw fucking red. I moved behind him, got a hold of the back of his neck and ripped him the fuck off my mate. She let out the tiniest whimper, and that sealed his fate. I was on my knee next to her. I ripped the bottom of her shirt away to get a better look at the bite mark. I shifted my eyes up to see her as I ran my thumb over it and she flinched, letting out another soft noise. My lips pulled back with no thought from me, showing my teeth and a growl worked its way out of my chest as I slowly turned my head to see him still on the ground where he landed. Alice was next to him with his arm that Bella removed in hand, trying to help him fuse back together. He lost a lot of venom during Bella's assault, but he was about to lose a fuck of a lot more.

I stood up and turned my body to face them. Both of us were running fully on our base instincts. I felt Bella take up a stance behind me, that was nothing new, but then she put her hand on my back. I could feel my own emotions being pulled from me and then I felt all her pain, anger, wrath, and heartbreak; nothing else. I felt it like it was my own. I felt my eyes go even darker and my vision tunneling. I had no idea what the fuck was going on, but apparently, my body knew what the fuck to do. It split up the emotions, amplified them, and shot them at the two marked for death vampires across from us. When they found their marks, Edward and Alice started screaming. We both dropped down, my left hand on the ground, right extended out, Bella's hand still on my back, the other on her knee. My sight was glued to Edward, hers to Alice.

We moved as one as we rocked back on our heels, crouching even lower to the ground, and by that I mean my chest grazed it as I readied myself to attack. Edward and Alice mirrored our stances and growled a warning out not to come close to them. Yeah fucking right. They kinda reminded me of puppies that didn't like the neighborhood alley cats. I would have snickered at the thought if I had my own emotions to act on. But with that not being the case, and only had hers to work with, it came out more of like an evil cackle.

With a snarl, Edward and Alice shot from their spots. We launched from ours and the noise that our bodies made when we collided with them made the ground that we were not even touching shake beneath us. I kept part of my focus on my mate as I fought with Edward. He might have been faster than me, but I was stronger, and all around better fighter. Not to say he didn't land anything, just not hard enough or in the right places.

It was weird, I could feel the frustration coming from Alice due to the fact that she could not see Bella's next move, but I was not affected by it. My eyes shifted back and forth between my fight and the girl's, and I chuckled when I saw the smirk on my mate's face through the whole thing. I knew that she was holding back a bit, again toying with her, just as she did with Edward. Bites hurt, but at this point, I don't think she felt much of anything. Amusement leaked into her emotions as a laugh snuck its way out. The more flustered Alice got, the sloppier she got. I showed her how to defend herself a few decades ago, but I guess that training slipped her mind. Everything Bella threw at her was easily defendable, but she just wasn't thinking about anything other than the emotions I was feeding her.

I turned my attention back to the bronze haired ass pirate currently trying to find the weakness in my fighting ability. Normally, he would read the mind of his opponent, but when they are not thinking, just doing, it makes him unable to do shit. He, like a lot of vampires with gifts, relies far too much on them.

He went for a punch to the face, I bent backwards into a back hand spring, put my hands on the ground, shifted my weight, lifting my legs and kicked him in the chin, making him flip head under feet landing on his chest. When my feet hit the ground, I push myself forward, grabbed his shoulders, flipping him backwards and slamming him right back on his chest. Pinning him there, I bent forward, and bit him as hard as I could in same place he bit my Bella. It took a chunk from his side. Spitting the flesh out, I bit him again. This time on the opposite shoulder, giving it a tug and ripped off his other arm. He let a very girlish scream and tried to kick me in the head to get me off. I out right laughed. He turned his head and finally landed a bite. I knew everything he did now was out of desperation. His legs followed his arms. He was nothing but a torso and head at this point.

I stood up, put my foot on the back of Edward's head and turned my full attention to Bella and Alice. Bella was twirling on point as Alice tried in vain to grab her. When she stopped, she ducked down; pushed off her spot with all the force she could muster, aiming right for the legs. This was a technique that I taught her as a quick way to rip off someone's legs. You hit with such force that it forces the legs apart and when you have your head between their legs, stand up, use your own forward momentum and pull their legs off using your own head as a pivot point. Works every fucking time. When she had the legs off, and Alice was face down on the ground, Bella put her foot between her shoulder blades, grabbed Alice's wrists and pulled with all the strength she had. Both arms went flying. She reached down and grabbed both sides of her head, but before the killing blow was made, Bella got right next to her ear and whispered, "Bet you didn't see this coming, did ya Bitch?" Then off with her head.

Edward was made to see the whole fucking thing. In truth, I was so caught up in watching Bella I forgot I hadn't killed him yet. I bent to grab his head, but Bella yelling made me pause. I looked up at her as she was walking slowly towards me. "Something wrong Darlin'?"

"No Sir, Major. Not a thing." She pulled a lighter out of thin fucking air and lit it. She tilted her head to the side before she dropped it on Edward's back. WITH HIS HEAD STILL ATTACHED!

I jumped back to keep from getting caught in the inferno that was now Edward. "Jesus Christ Bella! That is fucked up." Edward's screams could be heard I bet for miles.

She looked at me and for the very first time since I saw her again, she actually looked like the teenager that I remembered her to be. "No it's not. Now he finally knows of the pain that he put me through." She looked down at him, her eyes hardening again. "Actually, he got off easy." When her eyes met mine, I saw what I have been dieing to see since she woke up. I wasn't looking at Isabella Swan any longer. I was looking into the bright red eyes of my Goddess of War.


	16. Chapter 16

Her clothing was tattered, shredded, and missing chunks. Her muscles were twitching where she donned new scars. Her hair was mussed, dirty, and knotted. She was breathing hard, shallow, and short breaths. Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes dark and wild. She was, without a doubt, the hottest fucking thing that has ever graced the face of the earth. And I was the lucky son of a bitch that could call her mine.

After we cleaned up the scattered body parts and tossed them in the fire, Bella just stood there staring at it. I moved to stand behind her, wrapped her up in my arms, and put my chin on the top of her head. "What's on your mind, Darlin'?" she shook her head, telling me she either wasn't ready, or flat out was not going to tell me. I nuzzled my nose on her scalp, earning me a soft purr from her. "I can't fix what I don't know is wrong, Sugar. You gotta tell me." She took a deep breath and sighed.

"Almost five years. I spent almost five years waiting and hoping, praying that he would come back and save me from the hell that he left me in. Well, I guess wasted would be a better use of words."

I growled a little at that. "Ya know it's just a bit late to feel bad about settin' his ass on fire."

"I didn't say I felt bad, Asshole. I was simply stating a fact."

"You're not planning to crawl into a hole again, are you? Cuz, I'll tell you right now, I won't fucking allow it." I could feel her roll her eyes through the back of her head. "You doubt me?"

"It's not that. Think about what I just said. I spent FIVE years pining away for him. He left six years ago." She was staring at the fire and purple smoke, not even bothered by it.

"I uh, huh?" I really have no clue what that even meant.

She turned to look at me with an arched eyebrow. "Jesus Christ Major, I think Peter was right about you getting bit retarded." Dead motherfucker says what?

"Wanna repeat that?"

"Forget it, it's not important. I can't believe you can't put this shit together. I turned 18 six years ago, I spent five of them praying for Edward to come back, but the past year, I spent being yours. The only time he ever entered my mind was when I was fighting. I pictured him and used the hate and anger that I felt to kick some serious ass."

"Well Darlin', you most certainly did that." She let out a little giggle.

"Hey, I have a question. What is this little set back going to do to our vacation? I mean, we both know what they meant to Aro, and we both also know that the Cullen's are not going to take this sitting down. No matter what they may act like, we did just kill two of their coven members."

"I didn't kill anyone. You did that all on your own, Darlin'. But, as far as the vacation goes, I still have to call Peter and get him out here. After that, we'll go from there. But for now, I don't want to think or talk about anything that had nothing to do with something."

She turned her head and looked up at through her lashes. "And what is that, Major?"

I put my hand against her neck under her chin, bent down and took her lips with mine. She went to turn to face me, but I put my hand on her hip to stop her. In truth, I just really wanted to kiss her. Yes, I am about to fuck her, but hey, I do have a very, very, _very_ small sensitive side. And that same very small side is starting to acknowledge that she is my mate, and that she is my whole world. That she deserves a caring, protecting, and loving male.

I thought quickly about everything I have done to her over the past year. Have I been a huge fucking prick? Yes, I have. Have I taken the soft, caring, and thoughtful human that I once knew and turned her into a hard, uncaring, bitch? Only a little. But, have I not also looked after her, protected her from harm, and taught her everything she needed to know and do to survive in the vampire world? Every fucking day. I guess the real problem with this situation is there were different ways to go about doing what I did, but I chose not to use them. And that came from an entirely selfish place.

I wanted a mate that I could bend to my every whim and full will. I spent entirely too much time doing what someone else wanted me to do. I was never again going to allow another female to get away with the fucking bullshit that the god damned pixy did. Isabella was an easy choice in that matter. Yes, she has a very naughty mouth, but mine is so much fucking worse, plus, I have to admit that I am fond of some of what she comes up with. But, I guess, the biggest reason that I chose her, is probably the most obvious. You know, one of those things that no one would see because it is staring them in the fucking face. Simply put, she's _familiar_. I knew her as a human, and I cared about her as one. I protected her then, I still do now. But also, I _wanted_ her from the first time I saw her. Yup, I wanted to take her in the middle of that school lunchroom. Maybe not for a mate then, but at least for a fuck now and then. For sure to let every motherfucker in the town of Forks know that she was off fucking limits.

I am a truly selfish being, and I will be up front about it. I chose my mate because I knew that with the right amount of pressure, power, and pain, I could get her bow down and kiss the ground beneath my feet. That with the right force, she would follow any order. But mostly, with the right touch, she would stand behind me and be the goddess to my god. That I could mold her into the female version of me, and I would have the ultimate mate. The one every male vampire strives to create. I saw that vision but an hour ago. Now that I know that she is in there, it will be my goal to bring her all the way out, and for good.


	17. Chapter 17

We were still in the clearing, the fire starting to die down, the purple from the venom losing its vibrancy, turning into a gray color. I pulled back from my beautiful mate to look into her eyes. They were dark red. She would need to feed soon. Fighting always did take a lot out of her. I tried to picture her with gold eyes, the ones she always wanted, but I just couldn't. Even if she did end up with Edward, she would still not look right. I doubt she would ever have truly fit in with the Cullens and been even remotely happy. She, like me, was meant for bigger things than endlessly going to highschool, trying to fit into the human world. No, she was always meant to be a soldier. Perhaps not the way it happened, but I could see that she had an inner strength that would rival anyone I have ever met.

I held her at arm's length looking her over from head to toe, taking in her wounds and new scars. Besides the one Edward gave her on her side, she has a new one on her bicep, and claw marks on her chest, abs, and the lower part of her throat. Turning her to the side a bit, I saw that she also had some new ones on her back as well. Upon seeing this I wanted to bring the fucking pixy back, just to kill her ass again. She had a really bad one on her chest that just didn't seem to want to heal. I couldn't really take her hunting with a gaping hole in her chest, nor could I check her into a hotel with it.

With Aro's ass running around I couldn't leave her here and bring her back something to eat, and if I licked it closed the scars would be horrific. Personally I could give a fuck about them, I think they are hot, but she likes to show off her body and claw marks are very noticeable, even to humans, so that was out. Hmm, what to do? I bent down to get a better look at it, but when I ran my fingers over it, I had to bite back a growl when I heard a whimper. I looked up just in time to see her shut her eyes from the pain.

"Bella, Darlin', this won't close unless you feed, and I can't think of any way to get you human blood. I hate to say it, but the only thing we can really do right now is to find you an animal or two, just enough to get this to close, then we will get you a human to take care of the scar."

"But you said that they taste like shit and that they didn't even do anything."

"Yes I did, and yes they do. Believe me; if there was anything else I could do, I would do it. But I cannot come up with anything else. And as far as them not doing anything, it will do enough to heal that gash, and keep you from a killing spree at the hotel."

"Wait, why would I go on a killing spree? You'll be there like always keeping me in check."

"I can't keep you in check if I am not somewhat close to you. I have to be within a mile or so for you to be within my power's range."

"But you have been farther than that from me and still able to help me."

"But that was right after I bit you the first time. My venom was fresh in your veins. That's not case right now. It's true my ability has both passive and active qualities. The passive part has a farther range. I have no clue why, but that's just how it is. I can pick up emotions as far away as five miles, but I can only affect emotions that are barely over a mile away. I mean I can sneak you into a room no problem, but think this through Darlin'. It's not like we can order room service and you eat the bellhop. Or any other guests for that matter. It would be just a bit noticeable if documented people just disappeared or employees never reappeared after coming to our room. I am really sorry about this, but I don't see any other way around it."

"And I can't just wait here for you to bring me something, why?"

"Bella, you just killed Edward and Alice Cullen, Aro's two most prized vampires. Aro is still in this country, and has a huge guard that will not think twice about killing you simply on principle. And that's forgetting the fact that you have MY sent all over you. He might be a stupid fuck, but I am willing to bet he will be able to put two and two together and figure out that you're my mate. Look, I know this sucks, but it really is the only way. I promise I will make this up to you." The look on her face told me she was not even remotely okay with this, but would do it. "Good girl, now follow me. I'll find you the best I can, but I am going to warn you, it is all bad."

We took off deeper into the woods. I kept my nose in the air trying to find her a predator, but the pickins were really slim. Hmm, smells like the best of the bunch was a moderate size fox, but should be enough to serve its purpose. "Okay, wait here, I'll be right back."

"Why? I wanna see this."

I rolled my eyes. "You're a real bitch, you know that? What the fuck makes you think I want you to see me do this?"

"Oh come on. Please?" She clasped her hands together, and batted her eyelashes. Oh man, that shit is so not fair. Well, at least it's not the fucking puppy dog eyes.

With a not so subtle huff, I nodded and took off after the fucking fox. As we got closer I put my arm out, caught her around her waist, and moved her behind me. I put my finger to my lips telling her to be quite. I snuck up behind the little shit, pounced, snapped its neck and brought it back to my laughing mate. She wasn't just laughing, she was on her back laughing so hard she was holding her stomach and gasping for air. "Yeah yeah, yuck it up, I'm glad you find this shit funny. Here, this won't do much, but it should do its job well enough."

I tossed the animal to her and bit this inside of my cheek to hide the laugh that threatened to escape when she scrunched up her nose. With a chuckle I could not hide my amusement as I said, "I told you that shit sucks. Come on, don't be a fucking baby. Drink it." She sunk her teeth in, the blood touched her tongue making her eyes grow huge right before she ripped her mouth away and spitting the blood out. She even went as far as running her hands over her tongue trying to get the taste off. I was bent at the waist laughing my ass off. I tried to, but I could not stop once I started to.

With a really nasty look, she narrowed her eyes at me, grabbed the fox's body, and tried again. This time she was able to drink it, but then the dramatics started again. She was on her hands and knees, looking like she was trying to barf it all back up. When she was done gagging, she lifted her head to look at me with a look of loathing in her eyes, "I have a feeling that you did that shit on purpose. Jesus fuck, what? Did you try and find the grossest thing around here for me to eat?"

I shook my head, "Nope. I told ya baby girl, it all tastes like shit. That just happens to be Mr. Cullen's favorite. Daddykins just loves fox." And with that I rolled my eyes. "Well, whatever, stand up and let me see if that was enough, or if I will have to find you something else." When I said that, her emotions told me if that was the case, she would not be so easy this time. She stood up and I moved her shredded shirt out of the way. I ran my finger over the cut again and got a hiss out of her. Well, answers that question. "Sorry Darlin, but it looks like it is going to take a bit more. Animal blood sucks in taste and healing. It takes a shit ton of it to get the same results as just a sip of human blood."

"Did it do anything at all?"

"Not really. It slowed down the oozing venom, but didn't stop it. The gash is still more like a hole, and way to tender to the touch still to put anything over it."

"I'll suck it up and deal with the pain, just please, don't make me drink anymore."

"Bella, I'm trying to be nice here, but the whining has to stop. Now, buck up, be a good girl, and stay here. I'm going to get you something a little bigger that way you won't have to do it again." She just huffed. With a snicker she couldn't hear I turned and ran into the woods. I could smell a herd of deer and that was about it. She was not going to be happy about this. If she thought the fox was bad, can't wait to see her reaction to a plant eater. I didn't break its neck this time. As nasty as it is, it is slightly better if you drink it while the thing is still alive. I took it back to my very pissy mate.

"That thing smells worse than the fox."

"Yeah, but it should be enough to get that to stop oozing, and curve your bloodlust enough to get us out of here."

She looked at the deer kicking in my hold then back at me. "Promise?"

"No. I can't know that for sure. That's why I said should. You have never had to do this before, so it's not possible for me to know how much it will actually take, but if you're anything like I was when I first started living on it, this should be enough to at least hold you off for an hour. That's all I'll need to get you to the hotel, find you a proper dinner, and get back to you before it wears off enough to be a concern." She looked back at the deer, scrunched up her nose and took a deep breath. She went to break its neck but I pulled it out of her hands. "Trust me it tastes better if you eat it alive like you do with humans. Granted, it is still really bad, just not as such." I tightened my grip a bit when she ripped the fur away from the skin. With one last look at me, she sunk her teeth in. She gagged with every pull, and shuddered with every mouthful she swallowed. When she was done, she looked a little green. "Now, let's see if it did its job."


	18. Chapter 18

"So, finally calling to invite us to the party Major? You know, I would have really liked to be there when the Goddess took care of my former sister in law." Fucking little prick.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you would have loved it. It was like poetry in motion. But what she did to Edward was so much better. I'll have to fill you in on it later, though. I need you, Char, and at least two other guards to come to Paris for awhile. With the death of Edward and Alice, Carlisle and Aro are going to be pissed."

"Pissed will be an understatement when they find out. That being said, we're already here. We checked you into your room and got a lovely dinner for your mate. Really Jasper, animal blood? That shit's fucked up."

"It's not like I had too many other choices. She needed to feed, and that was the lesser of many other evils. Do you really think I would do that to her if I saw any other way around it? I know what that shit tastes like. I'm thinking about using it as a punishment with the newborns when I get back."

"If your mate's reaction to it is anything to go off of, then they will be falling all over themselves to behave and not have to drink it again. Well, we will see you when you arrive Major."

"See ya." I hung up the phone and looked at Bella. She was looking up at the trees we were walking by. "Something on your mind Darlin'?"

"Only if you don't get all pissed if I say it. Otherwise nope, not a thing Major."

I grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. I looked into her eyes and could see a ring of gold starting to form around the pupil. That is first priority to remedy. I took a breath and sighed, "Listen, I know that I might have over reacted a little to your opinion of what we discussed on the plane, but you have to understand that I am just as new to this as you are, and also, I am not used to be challenged in anyway. My word has been law for my entire afterlife. I have had many different kinds of relationships with many different kinds of females. However, you actually mean something to me. All the others were nothing more than a fuck here and there. Alice was the closest thing to a real relationship I have ever allowed to happen. And everyone knows how that turned out. What I want to make perfectly clear is you can always tell me what's on your mind. I might not always like it, but you can always tell me."

"I just don't like any of this. My biggest problem with my relationship with Edward was he never treated me as his equal. And I'm not yours either."

"I won't deny that you're not. You're not meant to be. Females of our kind are made to be less than the males. You are genetically made weaker and for the most part, slower as well. There are a few exceptions to that. Take you for example. You are fast as fuck, probably the fastest thing 'alive' right now. I think that has to do with your lack of self preservation as a human, so in this life it's a way for you to defend yourself. You're a might weaker than your average female vampire, so it makes sense that you're as fast as you are. We all have something built in for self defense, and yours is speed. But back to the matter at hand. Bella, you have to understand that my sex is designed to take care of and defend yours. That's just the way it is. We are very territorial creatures. We are not meant to live together in more than pairs. You will see in all mated pairs, the female depends on the guy to keep her safe and take care of everything as far as living and eating.

"As a girl, yeah, I bet it sucks. However, I don't think that you understood or listened to me when I told you that if the girl fucks up and breaks one of our few laws, it the guy that get punished. There is a reason for that. Did you notice how I stayed out of your fight with Edward till you were bit?" with her nod I continued, "Well, that's because you needed to let off some steam, but also because males, and to be honest I am worse than your average one, we are possessive little fuckers. If our mate gets touched in a volatile way, dismembering the offending party becomes our all consuming thought process. We cannot do or think of anything else until that's taken care of."

"I really do think I understand it Major. My understanding was not up for question. I understand everything perfectly; I just don't fucking like it."

"Most of your kind doesn't. You were relatively independent as a human. More so after your birthday from what I gathered from your story. You're not used to being told what to do, when to do it, and all that jazz. But if it helps, just always look at it from a tactical standpoint."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you follow orders because you're a soldier; it's what you're trained to do. When on the battlefield, you listen with no arguments or back talk. You do what you're told."

"Well yeah, at that point my life is on the line."

"Yes, and if you have any kind of memory, I'm not all that different on or off the battlegrounds. The best thing I can suggest, at least until you're accustomed to our world, always think like we are in that situation. You know that I won't actually kill you, but you also know that I have no problem with removing body parts." I said last part with a smirk and crossing my arms.

"Major, that is even more fucked up than just sucking it up and dealing with the fact that because I was born with fucking tits, I am less in this world than someone with a fucking dick." She tilted her head to the side a bit with a look of concentration on her face. She looked back at me and pursed her lips. Ah, she has a smart ass comment to make. "So, if having tits makes you less than having a dick, what about the poor mother fuckers that have neither?"

"Well, you kinda have to have one or the other Babe."

"No, Alice was flatter than a baby at birth, so unless you have a homosexual side you try to hide, I don't think she had a dick between her legs either. So where was her place in the 'grand scheme of things'?"

My face became acquainted with my palm for a moment. Mother fuck. "Bella, my dear that shit was uncalled for. You should not speak ill of the dead. It's not nice."

She raised her eyebrow at me, her eyes twinkling with humor. "Jasper, my fierce protector, the bitch was dead the whole time I knew her; that includes the time we have been together when you called her every name under the sun. Practice what the fuck you preach there, Chief."

My eyes widened a bit when she said that. She was just looking at me with a triumphant smile on her face and a spark in her eyes, completely unaware that for the first time in over a year, she called me by my name. A thrill ran through my body hearing my real name falling from her lips. The last time she said it was the day after she woke up to this life and I shot her with enough physical pain to almost crack her teeth from how hard she snapped her mouth closed. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

With a teasing type of sigh she started to repeat herself. "I said 'Jasper, my fierce protect… oh my fucking god!" Her eyes were the size of dinner plates as she looked at me. "I am so sorry, Major, I wasn't thi..."

I reached out, grabbing her by the back of her neck, pulled her to me, effectively shutting her up when my mouth crashed down on hers. She was stunned for only a nanosecond before she melted into me and the kiss.

Her hands were on my chest, plastered there from the abruptness of my grabbing her. I grabbed a handful of her hair with the hand that was on the back of her head while my other hand wrapped around her waist, lifting her feet off the ground. She wrapped her legs around me and her arms went around my neck. I bit her bottom lip before pulling it into my mouth. A soft moan left her throat and a purr started to sound out in her chest. My tongue invaded her mouth and hers put up a fight for dominance of the kiss. I let her control things at first, that was until the need to claim her welled up in me. I had her against a tree pressing myself into her and I took over the kiss. It became very heated and there was an undercurrent of passion to it that had me let out a tiny purr of my own. When that reached my ears I was slightly taken aback. I decided that I really didn't want to take her against a tree. I mean, her first time was against a wall, and none to gentile. I slowed things down before I pulled back. I looked into her eyes and was once again pissed about the gold I saw there. With a sigh I set her on the ground. "Baby girl, as much as I really want to do this, I think it would be a good idea to get the fuck out of dodge before the other vampires here catch the scent of the burned ashes and come to investigate."

"Yeah, you're probably right. How pissed do you think they are going to be?"

"Extremely. As a matter of fact, I don't think there is really a word to describe how pissed Aro will be about them, and Edward was Carlisle's first 'born'. So he is more than likely going to be just as upset, if not more so."

"Well, the fucker had it coming."

"Yes he did. Now, let's get to the hotel and get you fed. Your eyes have gold in them, and it is pissing me off." She arched an eyebrow at me. "I hate that I had to degrade you in such a way. I hate that I had to feed you that filth, and I hate that there is proof of it."

"Major, you did what had to be done just like you always do. I'm grossed out and it is going to take years to get the gross ass fucking taste out of my mouth, and I really don't want the golden eyes of a little fairy princess, but I do love the fact that I don't have a gaping hole in my chest." I had to chuckle a little at her lame attempt to lighten the mood.

"Speaking of which, we need to get you in new clothes. As much as I love what you're in, I don't think you can walk into a hotel looking like that."

The drive to the hotel was interesting. She kept trying to get to the passersby due to that fact that she was so thirsty. Every time we had to stop at a red light, her already dark red and gold eyes got even darker, her lips pulled back slightly and a low growl found its way out. I had to keep my hand on her leg to keep her thirst at the level it was at. There was no bringing it down, I could only keep it where it was at. She was beyond hungry and with being thirsty myself; it was more difficult than usual to keep her shit in check. I was so happy that Peter had something for her inside. I really don't think it would work out to leave her here to go get her something to eat. I doubt that there would be any survivors if I did.

I pulled up to the front door and was relieved to see my two best guards standing at the door waiting for us. The valet started to the car and Bella didn't ever try to hide her desire for the blood that was this human's life line. The sound that came out of her was a cross between a whimper and a snarl. The poor little thing was starving and this human was going to die if he got too much closer. I had to shoot every ounce of calm at her I could just to keep her in the car. I locked eyes with the two vampires at the door then shifted my eyes to the human that was walking up to the car. They nodded and moved to intercept him.

When they reached the man one of them put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head no when the human looked at him. "We will take care of this. No one drives Major Whitlock's car but those he personally allows." The valet just shrugged and said whatever. He looked back at the car, bowed his head, turned, and walked back towards the building. My guards finished the walk to the car. The one that spoke to the human came to my side, the other to Bella's. "Welcome Major. The Captain is waiting in your room for you with dinner for both you and your mate. Top floor penthouse." He handed me a key to my room and I gave him the keys to my car. He looked over to Bella and nodded in greeting. "Nice to see you again Miss Bella." She gave him a tight lipped smile.

"You put one scratch on my car and I will end you." He looked back at me, nodded and got in the car while the other guard helped Bella. The hold he had on her to anyone else looked like nothing more than a helping hand on her elbow, but to a vampire, it was what it was. And iron grip that would sever a human's arm literally in two. Bella's eyes were shifting everywhere. She was shaking like a leaf, trying so hard to stand still.

I walked around the car and took her hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Settle down baby girl. Everything is going to be fine. Don't breathe until we get to our room. I know you're hungry, and that will be fixed momentarily, I promise." I felt like an ass hole. She was never fed after we got off the plane like I planed, and then she was in a fight that drained her even more, and now, hungrier than she has ever been, I have to walk her through a lobby full of humans that she still can't eat. I just prayed that we made it to the elevator before she lost it.

We entered the building and she stiffened from the onslaught of smells. She looked up me with onyx black eyes. They were hard, but had a begging look to them. She let out a whine that was so quiet I barely heard it. It reminded me of her first hunt at the bar. Only this time it looked to be so much worse. I gave her what I hoped was an encouraging smile. I changed my grip on her hand from just holding it to having our fingers laced together as we walked pasted the front desk. After getting a hard look from the worker I lifted the keycard that my guard gave me and received a nod of acceptance. When we reached the elevator I swiped my card and we heard the thing come to life. The only way to access the top floor was the card, so I knew we would have no oopsies as far as someone coming up unannounced.

When the doors opened she couldn't get in fast enough as she tried to get away from all the different scents. I pulled on her hand to keep her moving at a human speed. "Bella, you're doing fine baby girl. Don't blow it now. We are almost there." She growled at me before she even realized what she did. She closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped, figuring she was going to get in trouble. "It's alright Darlin', I understand. There is something waiting for you in our room. You just have to wait a few more moments."

Her eyes were glued to the changing floor numbers over the door. When we were one floor away the smell of human and the sound of heartbeats filled the small space and Bella let out a fierce growl. "Almost Darlin', it won't do if you bust through the door. Wait till it opens, then it's open season for you on anything that has a pulse." I moved to stand behind her, and grabbed her other hand lacing our fingers together on that one too, keeping a death grip on both. I knew with as hungry as she was, it would take a lot to keep her inside till the doors opened. Not a moment too soon, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open with a ridiculous, almost mocking slowness. I tightened my grip to the point that if she moved all ten fingers were going to stay with me. When the doors opened all the way it was like an all you can eat vampire buffet. There were at least 20 humans scattered around the room, all of them with a drink in their hands just talking and chatting away, completely unaware of the danger they were in.

Peter turned to the elevator when the doors were open all the way. With a wink to me he called attention to the room. "Ladies and gentleman, the guests of honor have finally arrived. Please put your hands together for Major Whitlock and his beautiful mate, Isabella." The room erupted into applause and cheers. I was stunned only for a moment before my mate growled louder than she should have and the room when quiet.

I looked at the other vampires in the room, a smirk gracing my lips. When I spoke everyone, including the humans heard me. "No one else eats until my mate has her fill." I loosened my hold on Bella and spoke in her ear, "Go nuts baby girl. Drink until you can't drink another drop."

And then I unleashed hell.

As soon as I let go Bella shot out of the metal prison and pounced on the closest person to her. She was not even being selective about it; she just drained anything within reach. She drained her first before the humans even knew what was going on. However, when the sound of the lifeless body hitting the floor with a loud thud was heard, the room erupted into chaos. The women were screaming and the men were falling all over themselves trying to get away.

The vampires in the room were laughing and my mate was once again beautiful in her lethalness. She finished her second before she even took a breath. Her eyes locked with mine, that fucking gold long gone from her eyes. She gave me a wicked grin, tilted her head to the side a bit and raised a perfect eyebrow at me. I was leaning against the wall with my arms crossed and one foot on the wall. I waved one hand telling her to continue till she was done and she just shook her head at me. I arched one of my eyebrows at her, not really sure what she wanted. The room was still in pandemonium around us as our silent exchange went on. Wonderful to know that the room was sound proof for maximum privacy. "What is it baby girl? What do you want?"

She extended a hand to me, nodding towards it showing me she wanted me to take it. Huh, guess she wants company. Before I took her hand, but never looking away from her eyes, I told everyone else that they were able to join us and finish the humans off. I took her hand and pulled her to me bringing my lips to hers in a searing kiss. God, I will never get over how glorious she is when she eats, or how her wonderful natural flavor gets intensified when mixed the taste of blood. When I pulled away from her, I looked into her eyes to see them near black with desire. "Have you had enough to eat my mate, or will you allow me the pleasure of getting you something more?"

"I would love nothing more, Major."

I nuzzled her nose with my own before releasing her and pushing her behind me. With all the other vampires feeding in the room, I really didn't like the idea of just leaving her alone, so I kept one hand on her pulling her with me as I flew through the room being slightly more selective than she was when it came to what she ate. I could both feel and smell the fear of a man hiding in a corner behind a chair. Perfect, fear always makes them taste better. I placed her with her back against the wall while I went to get her dessert. As I closed in on the human, I felt someone come up from behind me, going after the same human I was getting for my mate. With a deadly growl I whipped around to see one of the guards that Peter brought with him about three feet behind me. He was fully invested in his hunt so at this point; the fact that I could and probably will dismember him didn't even register with him.

With a snarl, he lunged at me and with a smirk I dove at him and tackled him to the ground. I was growing in his face with my teeth bared, my teeth dripping with venom. I shot him with every negative emotion I had at my disposal, making him wish he had a working bladder so he was able to piss himself. That was also when he registered who I was and backed off. He put his hands up in surrender and said the only thing that was going to save his life. "He's all yours Major." Damn straight. I let him up with one more warning growl then returned getting my mate's meal.

The human saw the whole thing which only added to his fear and God, it was fantastic. I reached behind the chair and grabbed him by the neck, hoisting him off the ground and slammed him into the wall. I looked towards my mate standing in the same spot I left her in. I nodded my head towards her and with a low voice I spoke to her. "Come here my Bella." She was next to me in a flash. She ran her nose up and along his throat, savoring his fear laden scent.

Her eyes shifted to look me in the eye, before she looked back to him. She licked her lips before pulling them back off her teeth. Before she bit into him, she looked back at me with the most loving look I have ever seen in her eyes and in a voice that went straight to my dick, "Share this with me?"

I nuzzled her nose again and nodded. I shifted my hold on the human that I am really surprised had not had a heart attack yet, and held him more by the under part of his chin rather than his neck. With a short peck type kiss to the tip of Bella's nose, we both bit into the human at the same time. I have never shared a meal like this before, hell I have never even seen this done before, but I have to say, it has to be the best meal I have ever had.

Bella pulled back before I did throwing her head back and taking a deep breath. She had blood sliding down her chin like always. My mate is still a messy eater. I shifted my eyes to look at her, but didn't stop eating. She hardly took anything at all from him. But I was hungry, so I was going to finish eating.

Bella never took her eyes off mine as I ate and I could feel her desire grow. I finished up and let go of the body never looking away from her eyes. She broke eye contact first and looked over my shoulder. She let out a low growl, alerting me that there was someone coming up behind me while I was distracted. I whipped around dropping into a crouch in front of her with a growl ripping free from me. It was Peter walking up to us. He put his hands up and looking towards the floor. "My apologies for sneaking up on you, it was not my intention. I was just letting you know,0 Major, that I had a few other humans put off to the side for you. One, I'm assuming, is not enough. Finish up while we take care of the bodies." I stood from my crouch and nodded. I grabbed Bella's hand and brought her with me to finish eating. There were two left and I was thirsty enough for them both. I drained the first one alone, than had my mate help with the second.

When I was done I walked away from the bodies, leaving them to be taken care of by someone else. I sat down on the couch and pulled Bella down on my lap and wrapped my arms around her waist. I buried my face in her neck taking in her scent and placed a kiss on my bite mark that marked her as mine for all eternity. I find nothing more calming than that. My actions elicited a purr from her and the sound turned me into a horny fucking teenager. I have a few matters to attend to, but I wanted nothing more than to kick everyone the fuck out and spend some quality time with my mate. Well, the sooner I get the necessities out of the way, the sooner I can do just that. I pulled my face out of Bella's hair and looked at Peter. "Report, Capitan."

"The newborns are shaping up to actually be worth something as far as fighters go. We now have two powerful talents at our beck and call. One of the newborns that was up for death started to show signs of the power of levitation, and another is starting to gain control of her gift of, well the only way to explain it is she can make things shrink or grow. Really fucking weird."

"How long do you give it before the fuckers from Italy catch wind of the death of the exs?"

"Not long. As you know Aro met them as they got off the plane, and he saw the two of you right before that. Your scents are all over that clearing and with no rain in the forecast anytime soon, the smell of the burnt remains will stay there for about a week. When the two don't show up for an arranged meeting, Aro will send out a search party and discover the carnage of the fight."

"And then he will inform the Cullens of their death and all hell will break loose, right?"

"You got it. Aro knows you're here, but I have a feeling that we will be back in the states by then." I heard Bella groan when he said that. I squeezed her waist to tell her to hold on.

"Peter, I am on vacation with my mate. I asked you to come here on the off chance that we run into an issue with the Italians before it was over. I was planning on it being longer than a week."

"The reason you go back so soon has nothing to do with them. I don't know the reason, but something comes up and you go back. But if you think about it, if a fight does come from their deaths, it would behoove you to have your army behind you." I could see where he was coming from, but I heard and felt Bella's disapproval.

"Well, we will just have to wait and see what happened then. Now, everyone get the fuck out. I don't want to see or hear from a single one of you fuckers for at least 48 hours unless it is a matter of life or death, got it?" They all nodded and started for the elevator. Peter and his mate hung back a moment and I was curious as to why. I thought I was pretty clear about getting the fuck out. "Need something?" Peter sat down on the opposite couch, grabbed the remote turning on the TV, and pulled Char down to sit next to him. Bella looked up at me with a confused look on her face. I shrugged. I didn't know what he was doing either. "Uh, Peter, just what the fuck are you doing?"

Without looking at me he answered. "What does it look like? I'm watching TV with my mate, my brother, and his mate."

Bella huffed, crossed her arms and slouched against me. I growled low in my throat. I don't care if the fucker leaves in pieces; I just know he IS leaving. "Peter, I said everyone gets the fuck out, which included you. If I have to say it again, you're leaving in more than one piece." This time he did look at me. His eyes shifted to look at Bella, then back at me. His eyes grew wide and he jumped up like the couch lit his ass on fire. He grabbed Charlotte's hand, pulled her to the exit and disappeared.

Alone with my Bella at last.

I turned her to face me and captured her lips with mine. It was a soft little peck, but it was a promise for more as well. When I pulled back, I kept my eyes closed and rubbed my nose against hers. It got a little giggle out of her. I absolutely love that sound. It was quickly becoming one of my favorite noises. Putting my forehead on hers, "Did you get enough to eat baby girl?" she nodded and giggled again. She changed her position on my lap so she had a leg on both sides of my hips. I smiled at her, put my forehead back on hers, and leaned forward forcing her to lean back. "What has you giggling like a fool?"

With another giggle she answered, "I think one of the humans I drank was a little beyond drunk. I feel tipsy." And she giggled again. Hmm, so she's tipsy huh? This could be fun.

I sat back up and gave her a lazy smile, and then tickled her sides. Yes, we are ticklish. "Well, would you like a real drink Darlin'?" I was rewarded with a full laugh and a nod. I moved my hands under her ass and picked her up with me as I stood up, forcing her to wrap her legs tight around me. I carried her to the bar and set her down on the counter. "Well, what would you like?" she thought about it for a second.

"Long island, no gin, sub tequila, extra triple sec, with a heavy shot of sour and a shot of jager." My baby girl does like her long islands.

"Your wish is my command." I made her drink and a Jack on the rocks for me. She did her shot and then drank her drink like champ. "Want another?" At her nod, I had another in her hands as fast as the bottles would let me.

We drank the bar out of whisky and the makings of her drink as well. I moved the furniture out of the middle of the floor and turned on the stereo. I took her by the hand and drug her to the center of the room. She had a smile on her face, but her eyes were worried. "Jazz, I don't know how to dance." Fuck I love hearing her call me something other than Major.

I laughed. "Bella, everyone can dance. You did it at prom all those years ago with Edward. Quite well too if memory serves."

She looked down and a slightly shameful look over took her eyes and emotions. "Well, not really. I was standing on his feet. I wasn't really doing anything. He did all the work, I just stood there."

I tilted her head up and forced her to look me in the eyes. "I don't ever want to feel this emotion from you again. You have no reason to be ashamed of anything. You were a clumsy little thing as a human. Dancing was probably not a good idea for you anyways. But I am willing to bet that you can do it flawlessly now." I took her hand and put it on my shoulder taking the other in mine. I placed my free hand on the small of her back. "Just follow my lead sugar. There really is nothing to it." I waited for the beat and took the first step that she mimicked. After a few more she went to look at her feet. "No Darlin'. Look at me." Her eyes snapped back up to my eyes. Before long we were gliding across the floor like pros. I twirled her around the room, dipping her every now and then, kissing her every time I did so.

After a few more songs she had it down pat. She was laughing at everything I said and just having a ball. "Major, this is the most fun I think I have had in years. I mean, most of my human memories are fuzzy, but I think it was even before Forks." I smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself baby girl." I looked at her for a second finding the nerve. Awe, fuck it. "Bella, darlin' hows about callin' me something other than major for the night, hmm?" She looked up at me through her lashes with a wide smile on her lips. I was momentarily blinded by her. She really was beautiful. I might be a dick, okay; there is no might about it. I am the biggest asshole that was ever born into immortality. Lately though, I find myself thanking Peter for making the choice that night and deciding that Bella was going to be one of us. Well, the fucking sprite did always say that she would be one of us one day. She just never knew the way it was going to happen. Too many fucked up decisions were not made yet to give her a clear view into that tidbit of information. Looking into her eyes at that moment, I remembered a conversation I had with Peter during a training session that brought all that to light for me.

 **FLASHBACK**

 _"So, you ever gonna to tell me the real reason why you made the choice to turn Isabella?"_

 _He looked at me for a long moment before looking back at the training field. "Is the reason behind it truly important?" That kind of took me off guard. When I asked that the first time before she woke up he said he just had a feeling. It was a shot in the dark to call him out on it._

 _"There was a real reason and not just one of your gut feelings like you led me to believe?" With a 'oh shit' sigh he nodded._

 _"Yes. I had gut feeling about her, but not the same way I led you to believe. I swear, I really didn't know that she was the same Bella you told me about, but as far as everything else, yeah, it was a lie. Well, for the most part anyways. I can't believe you didn't pick up on that sooner." Me too fucker._

 _"Well, out with it. I wanna know the real reason behind the choice."_

 _He finally shifted his eyes to look at me before he rolled his eyes at me. "Major, you know the answer to that. You were on the same path that you were on last time you were here. It was a path of self destruction and you didn't even give a fuck. It was like you were walking the thin line between life and death on purpose. It freaked me out. I couldn't just stand by and let it happen if it was in my power to stop it. That's where the beautiful young lady you took as your mate came in. Your fucked up pixy of an ex was right when she said he would be a vampire one day. There were two major decisions that had to made before it would be set in stone enough for her to see it, but by the time they were to be made, it was long enough for her familiarity with her to be worn off enough to not set off a vision. Decision number one was hers and that was when to move to Texas. The other was mine and that was when to seek her out."_

 _"I'm following so far."_

 _He rubbed his hands over his face before he continued. "When I said she was going to be the pinnacle of operations, I was talking out of my ass. I had no clue what she would mean for the army itself, but I knew you would take her for your own."_

 _"Alright, let me ask you this. Did you change her into a vampire for me or because of me?"_

 _"Both. She was the only way to save you from what you were becoming again. I bit her to be your mate, but I did it because you needed her. You both needed someone. It just happened that who it was, were you. In her case, she needed you and in yours, you needed her."_

 _"Peter, I don't need a mate to be happy."_

 _"You're right, you need control. What better way to get that then become mated."_

 _"She has always hated being told what to do dip shit."_

 _"That might be true, but does she or does she not listen and as she is told?" The fucking prick had me there. I thought about everything he just told me, trying to figure out how I felt about it. He ended a life because he thought it would help me. But to do what? I have not changed a thing about myself since my little pet woke up and I didn't plan on doing so._

 _I looked at Bella sparing with a brand new male. She was executing her moves like she has been doing it for years opposed to months. She was moving as fluidly as water moves in a wave._

 _I looked back at Peter and asked the million dollar question. "Do you ever wonder if that was the right thing to do? Change a human just because it will save a soul that is already damned?"_

 _He turned his head to look at me full on. "Jasper, I will be totally honest with you, if I could go back a do it all over again, I would do it the same fucking way. I mourned the soul I damned to this life for a full six months before I ever made the bite. I can't feel bad for giving my sire, my friend, my_ brother _the reason he needed to live a life of the should be but are not dead. She is the reason that you actually care if you survive a battle. I can't and won't feel bad for giving you that. You gave me my mate, it's only fair that I gave you yours." It was the last sentence that killed any argument that could have formed on my tongue._

 **END FLASHBACK**

As I looked into the glowing red eyes of my Isabella, I finally figured out how I felt about what Peter did. I loved the fucker for it. She was slowly become my whole world. She was everything Peter said she was going to be. She was the reason that I cared what happened to me on the battlefield. She was the driving force behind me and how I reacted to different situations. She gave me the control I need to have to stay sane.

That's fucked up yes, but none the less true.

It strange to think about it, but a meager 12 hours ago I told her that I didn't love her and hardly cared about her outside of her safety. I guess a lot has happened between then and now, but not really. There is just something about her that begs to be loved and you have to comply. Things are not going to change a great deal between us, it would be a dog face lie to say that it will, but the thing that I know for sure is that I will decimate any mother fucker that even thinks about so much as touching her. It goes beyond the fact she belongs to me, that is reason enough to kill a man. No, this goes deeper, much deeper.


	19. Chapter 19

"Jasper, where did you go?" my head snapped up to the sound of her voice. How the hell long have I been stuck and lost in my own thoughts?

I looked down at her and felt my eyes soften. "I'm sorry darlin'. Just sorta lost in memory."

"Anything you wanna share with me?" The hopeful look in her eyes almost made me feel bad about the fact that there is no way in hell she will ever find out about her origin from me. Almost.

"No, it was a long time ago. No need to go down that road." She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. I chuckled at her antics, bent down and nipped her lip. "Don't worry about it baby girl. It really is not important. Well, since your table manners have not improved over the past 15 months, what do you say to a nice hot bath huh? Perhaps get all the dried blood out of your hair, hmm?"

She gave me a sheepish look before nodding. "That would be nice. Every time I move I feel like my clothes are going to rip." Not that I would mind that in the slightest.

I poked her in the nose, my reward being another one of her wonderful giggles. "Well then, let's get you all clean, shall we?" I hoisted her over my shoulder and started at a humans pace to the bathroom. I intended to enjoy being with my mate this time. So long as there are no flare ups of my animalistic need to claim, than that was just what I was going to do. She was laughing and hitting my back in a weak attempt to get me to put her down. I laughed at her and set her down on the counter. "Stay right there Darlin'. Don't move an inch and it will be worth it. I promise." She slid back on the counter and crossed her arms and legs before leaning back against the mirror. I walked over the jetted tub and turned on the hot water before leaving to grab her cloths. I had all her cloths bought new before we left. I did forgo buying her under garments though, no need to put too much on her when she really won't be wearing them for an extended period of time.

I checked my phone while I was out of the bathroom and saw a text from Peter reminding me about a meeting that I called for. Mother fucker, it actually did slip my mind. All I wanted to do was spend the night with my mate wrapped around me, but I had to deal with this before the shit hit the fan. So instead of the black and pink yoga pants and pink sports top I was going after, I selected a pair of black dress slacks that are tight on the thighs and had a subtle flare starting at the knee, and a short, blood red shirt that is tight across the bust and will stop just below her breasts, with only one long bell sleeve on the left arm. I walked back into the bathroom to find her in the same spot I left her in. Good girl. I looked to the tub to see it was about half full. I put a little bubble bath in it and let it finish filling up. I turned and walked, well more like sauntered up to her. She still had blood on her face, and the dried trail going down her chest. There will be no licking that up. That is fucking gross. Nothing more disgusting than cold dry blood and her hair was crusted to the crown of her head. I am really going to have to teach her how to do this without wearing more than she drank.

I uncrossed her legs and stood between them. Looking in her eyes I could see them darken slightly. Slowly I leaned forward trapping her with my arms and placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Well my dear, let's get you in the tub and get you presentable."

"Presentable?"

"Yes, we have company coming up in a few hours that I failed to remember about, and as my mate, you need to look the part. There are a few things you have yet to learn about me, but all that will come to light tonight." I could feel her curiosity but chose to ignore it for now. I turned off the water and made quick work of her cloths and getting her in the tub. I took off my shirt and felt a burst of lust and desire from my little lady. I was undoing my belt when I heard my phone ring from the next room. Mother fucker. Is it so much to ask to just have an hour of free time with my mate? "I'll be right back baby girl. I have to get that." The look in her eyes told me she was just as unhappy with this as I was but I was going to have my time with her before I allowed anyone to enter this suite. I picked up the phone and did nothing to hide my anger at being interrupted. "WHAT?"

"Sorry to disturb you Sir, but the others you requested for the meeting have arrived early."

"I don't give a fuck. Entertain them until I say otherwise. I'm busy. If I get interrupted again, I am holding you responsible. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Cristal Sir."

Without another word I hung up. I ran my hand over my face and took a deep breath before returning to the bathroom and my waiting mate.

"Everything alright?" I looked down at her and went hard instantly. During my absence she tried to get the blood out of her hair, but I will have to wash it again. The blood was gone from her face and chest, but I could still see some on her back that she couldn't reach. The water was red from her hair making it look like she was bathing in blood. It was a vampire's wet dream. Without any real thought, I was stripped of my jeans and in the tub with her straddling my hips with my dick between her stomach and mine and I attacked her lips. Fuck it. Going slow is over rated.

I forced my way into her mouth sucking her tongue into mine. I moaned as I tasted the blood from her dinner under the taste of alcohol mixed with her own fantastic flavor. She melted flush against me wrapping her arms around my neck, her legs going around my waist pulling herself as close to me as physically possible. As the kiss started picking up fever, my mate's lust shot through the roof. Her fingers grabbed the hair at the base of my neck pulling my face harder to hers. I pushed her back onto the side of the tub then repositioned myself so I was on my knees in front of her. I pulled away from her mouth and kissed across her cheek then down her jaw. When I reached my mark I gave it a lick and hard nip. Not hard enough to break her skin, but hard enough to get the most magnificent sound from her. I continued my way down to her chest kissing and licking her scars. Unwrapping her legs from my waist, I paid close attention to her glorious breasts. Taking her left nipple in my mouth, biting down and flicking it with my tongue, my right hand palmed and squeezed her other, hard. Quicker than she was expecting I switched sides and repeated my movements. She gasped and groaned at the same fucking time. The sound was new to me, but I instantly loved it and wanted to hear it again.

I continued my descent leaving open mouthed kisses on every bit of flesh I could find, dragging my teeth across her toned abs. Coming across her belly button, she giggled and tried to wiggle free when my tongue dipped down inside. I wrapped my arm under her back holding her still. Talking against her skin I whispered, "Don't move baby girl, I am not even close to done." I kissed her belly button one more time before I moved lower. My head dipped below the water as I continued down. When I reached the point where her leg and body connected I gave it a lick. When she jumped, I chuckled and did it again. I ran my nose over her mound to her other thigh and licked the same spot. She jumped again and I was hit with the thought that she has never had this experience before. That made me smile.

I ran my hand up her leg digging my fingers into the inside of her thigh. She was turning into quivering pile of goo in my hands. I gripped both of her legs and deciding that I had to taste her, I ran my tongue from the bottom of her slit to her clit. Holy Jesus fuck and Christ Almighty! If that is not the single greatest thing I have ever tasted! I had my nose pressed against her clit brushing it every time my head moved, my tongue dipping inside her at every pass. I let go of one of her legs and pushed her legs a bit farther apart and moving to use my shoulders to keep them where I wanted them. Never stopping my tongue, I pushed one finger inside her. Bloody hell, she was still at tight as she was our first time together. She might not be a virgin now, but she as at the time of her change, so her pussy will always be that tight. I am one lucky fucker. I bent my finger down ward hitting a nerve and making her jump again. I tightened my hold on her, sped up and added another finger making her stretch out. I could tell she was getting close so I twisted my wrist making my fingers point up, curled them, finding her g-spot and moved my mouth to her clit giving it a lick before biting down on it sending her over that euphoric edge. Even with my head under water, I could hear her screaming my name loud enough for the whole hotel to hear.

I left my fingers inside her, wiggling them to bring her down slowly. I kissed my way back up paying close attention to the spots that got a reaction out of her on the way down. When I reached the silk of her smooth left hip, I gave her a wink and smirk, then bit down, leaving another mark on her and sending her over the edge once more. That was not my intentions, but hey, I'll take it. I did it because with as low as her pants are, everyone will see it. It gave me a morbid kind of pleasure to know that everyone will know what we did tonight. Huh, never thought I would be the kind of guy to show off my sexual exploits by marking up my mate's body, but then again, I never thought I would be the kind of guy to take a mate either. Mating is a weakness, and one that I never wanted, but as I looked up at my Isabella in the throes of her organism, it was a weakness I could no longer live without.

Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I continued to make my way back to the mouth that tasted better than any blood ever could, running my hand up her side to take hold of the side of her neck when I reached my destination. Her body was still recovering and she moaned into my mouth. I withdrew my hand causing her to groan onto the kiss. I pulled back from her bit when a chuckle broke free and a smirk found its way to my lips. "Not to worry kitten, I have more planned for you. However, we are running low on time and we still need to actually get you clean." She went to argue, but I silenced her with a peck to the nose. "Darlin', I never said we were done. I said I had more planned, I just have to do two things at once," I leaned in and with my lips hovering just above hers, "get you clean at the same time I make you even dirtier." Her eyes went flat black and her lust and desire reached a level I have never experienced. Hmm, my little lady likes that huh? Good to know.

I turned around and sat back down, grabbing her and positioning her to face me. With my hands gripping her hips I held her over the tip of my dick. I looked her dead in the eyes and saw her devastating desire. Dropping her just enough to feel me push against her opening I had the overwhelming urge to fuck with her. Eh, I am what I am, and I'm a dick. Her eyes were closed in anticipation and she tried to swing her hips to get some sort of friction. Oh, I am really about to piss her off and I'm okay with that. I learned over my long life that an angry fuck is the best kind. I gripped her tighter making it impossible for her to move and said, "I can feel your desire you know." Her eyes snapped open and shock took over her emotions followed quickly by irritation and curiosity.

Her voice was guarded and her eyes held suspicion. "Yes, I'm aware of that."

With the cockiness that only I possessed, I arched an eyebrow at her and smirked, "I can feel your desire." I repeated. Her eyes narrowed and her head turned slightly to the side. "But I don't know what you desire." It took less than a tenth of a second for her to realize where I was going with this and I was right about it pissing her off. Her irritation shot up, but she was still so turned on due to the fact that I was still pushing against her that all she could bring herself to do was huff. "I want you to tell me what you desire." She hit me with a heavy dose of her lust and tried to move her hips again. I shook my head. "Nope. I want hear you say it."I made my dick twitch and moved my hips a bit forcing my way into her a bit more before returning to my previous position. She moaned a little at my subtle movements but held her ground on not speaking. So I did it again a little harder and deeper than the last time. This time she growled when I returned to a sitting position. She tried again to wiggle, but with my grip she had no chance of moving.

She looked down at me then closed her eyes when in the quietest voice said "Please."

"Please what Sugar?"

"Please stop teasing me."

I straightened my back and kissed her between her breasts. With my lips still on her skin, "Then tell me what you desire." I shifted my eyes to look up at her. Never loosening my grip on her I moved my hips and pushed back into her and asked, "Is this what you want?" she nodded. "Now now baby girl, I want you to say it."

"I want to feel you inside me. I want you to claim me again." Well, that was unexpected and not what I was intending to do at all. I wanted a round of rough sex, but if my mate wants to be claimed again, who the fuck am I deny her. The words barely left her mouth before I changed our position and had her under me with her back against the side of the tub and me between her legs with my hands on the wall behind her head.

With no warning, I slammed into her just like I did the first time I took her. I bent down and with my mouth right next to her ear, "So, that's your desire? For me to claim you, for me to once again show you that you belong to me and only me?" My voice sounded nothing like me. It was a combination of a snarl and a growl, both heavy with my own lust and passion for my mate. She gasped out a breathless yes as her back arched and hands flew to my hair. I grabbed her wrists, pulling them from my hair, and pinned them above her head. I was less merciful this time as I slammed into her. I was feeding off her emotions and they were doing nothing to help my rational mind.

"Oh God Major." I looked down and growled at her. As I said, I was not really in my right mind so I surprised myself when I took both of her wrists in one hand leaving the other open to wrap around her throat. And if that shocked me, than there were no words to describe Isabella's reaction. She used her shoulders to push her upper body off the tub to put more pressure against my hand. I will have to think on that one later.

I could feel her release closing in on her, and mine was fast approaching as well. I moved the hand that was around her neck to the small of her back, using to keep her tight against me. With a perfect jerk of my hips I tossed her ass right back over the edge causing her scream so loud and at the perfect octave that I heard a few of the glasses at the bar shatter. If that shit is not an ego boost, then I truly do not know what is. Yes ma'am, you are welcome. It took three more pumps before I found mine and I swear, I tried not to bite her, I really did, but the feel of her perfect pussy pulsing around me, there was no stopping it. With a roaring growl, my teeth found their mark right above where her heart used to beat sending her over a fourth time with a whimpering scream.

She was panting hard as she came down from her high, and I stayed perfectly still as I got my shit together. When I came back to myself, I could feel my teeth in her flesh all the way down to the gums. Holy fucking damn it. That is never a good thing. I closed my eyes as pulled my teeth out of her chest and my dick out of her still sensitive sex making her scream again, only this time there was no pleasure in it for either of us. She was hurt and I knew it. I sat back in my shins, opened my eyes and moved to get a closer look at the bite mark. That's when I realized how hard I actually bit her. Any harder and I would have taken a chunk out of her chest. I looked back up at her and her eyes were still closed and she was breathing heavy. Very lightly I pressed my palm on the mark and when she whimpered, I grimaced. I pulled her in to my lap holding her tight around her waist, bending my head down to the fresh mark, and licking it. She hissed in pain and tried to get away but I held fast and continued to help fuse her back together. It only took five passes, but I know I have said this before, bites fucking hurt. And if you're basically trying to reattach a chuck that wasn't completely detached in the first place, yeah, that shit hurts too.

I think it was a safe bet to say that we were done playing. I made quick work of washing us both and getting out of the tub. After wrapping a towel around myself, I wrapped her body up in one towel and dried her hair with another. When I was done I brushed it out and put it in a high ponytail making both claim marks visible. I rubbed my nose on the left one and kissed the right making her shudder. She applied a small amount of makeup while I dried my hair. Pulling her into our room I pointed her to the clothes I picked out for her to wear while I went into the closet to get dressed myself. I pulled on a pair of black dress Dickeys, a black beater, and a long sleeved deep blue button up. Leaving the top three buttons undone, I tucked in my shirt pulling it out just a bit and rolling up the sleeves up over my elbows. I chose my black seatbelt buckle belt and ass kicking boots. Christ I love these boots.

I walked back in the room and saw her fucking with her top, bitching because she didn't have on any undergarments. She had her back to me and she was trying to get the thing zipped. No matter how much we evolve when turned, some things are still impossible. I leaned on the door jam and crossed my arms. "Need some help?" She whipped around, her hand flying to her chest, a residual action from her human life.

"Oh, fuck Jasper! If it were possible, you would have just scared the shit out of me!" I chuckled and shook my head.

Well, that's interesting. I cocked my head to the side. "What's on your mind that had you that distracted my dear?" Her embarrassment shot through the roof. My eyes scrunched up, my lips pursed and my head turned. "Bella?"

"Believe me, it is not worth mentioning."

As I pushed off the door jam, walked up behind her, turned her back to me and zipped up her shirt I spoke, "Oh, I beg to differ. You reaction is reason enough to not believe you." I wrapped my arms around her and put my chin on her shoulder. "What's on your mind Baby Girl?"

With a reluctant sigh, she leaned into me. With a voice barely above a whisper, "I was thinking about what happened in the tub."

I blanched. "Which part are you referring to?"

"Um, the last part." I don't think she was talking about me washing her hair.

"What about it?" I found myself absentmindedly rubbing my thumb over the mark on her chest. Males always know which bites are theirs and which ones are not.

"Nothing particular, the whole thing really."

I turned my face into her neck, nuzzling my mark with my nose in an attempt to calm me down. "Yeah, about that. I'm really sorry Sweetheart. I really did try not to bite you. It's just."

"Jasper stop, I get it. I know I will never really understand what goes on in a guy's head during sex, but I know what goes in mine, and all I could think was how much I wanted you to. I don't know why, nor do I think I would understand it even if I did. Don't get me wrong, that shit fucking hurt, but, truth be told, it hurt worse when you let go than it did when you bit me in the first place."

"And which part of that was not worth mentioning?"

"No, none of that was what I was thinking about when you scared Me." she took a deep breath, but did not continue. I nudged her neck and shot her with confidence. She huffed because she knew what I was doing, but then she just blurted out, "I was thinking about the fact that I guess I get off on pain." I pulled away from her neck and looked at the side of her head with a stunned look on my face.

Her eyes were flying around the room looking everywhere but me, her lips in a tight line. The only thing I could think to say to that was, "You are a fucking freak."

She still would not look at me. Her eyes held a bit of uncertainty, but came back with "Yeah, well, I'm your fucking freak."

I spun her around to face me. I looked down at her and saw that spark of love in her eyes and felt it in her emotions. I smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. "That you are Sugar. That you most certainly are. Now, finish getting dressed. We have kept my guests waiting long enough. Your boots are in the closet. I want you in the living room before anyone one comes up, so get that perfect ass in gear." With one last kiss to the mark on the right side of her neck, I gave her a smack on the butt making her jump, and then I left her to finish getting dressed.

As I walked into the living room I was hit with a thought, something that I neglected to think about before. I have been extremely lenient with her ever since I took her as my mate. There were lessons that I taught her before that happened for a reason. I really hope that she remembers how I want her to act. There will be no letting anything go if she fucks up. The people that will be here need to know that I am up for anything, even disciplining my mate in the company of others.


	20. Chapter 20

Bella walked into the room after Peter and Char somehow got in bringing a new stock of liquor. "Ja…or." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, smirk, and a snort. Nice save baby girl.

My eyes raked over her taking in the gloriousness that is her beautifully sacred body. She has about as many scars as Peter, maybe a few more, but some were far worse. No one area is covered with more than any other. I wish I could have prevented her from getting so many, but there is only so much you can do. If there is a newborn with a vendetta against me, they tend to take it out on her, and normally when she is preoccupied with something else so she can't defend the attack right away. She has a particularly bad scar that goes from her belly button around to the small of her back from a little fucker that lost his arm for a reason I don't care to remember. He was ripped apart, put back together and ripped apart again three or four times before he saw the mercy of death. Don't let the fact that she is under my constant protection fool you, she has killed as many of those fuckers as I have. But that's a bit off topic. Back to the task at hand, checking out my perfect mate. Hey, she gets off on pain; I get off on the scars on her skin. I think they are hot as hell. And I was right about the pants being low enough to show off the mark on her hip. The top was high enough that you could only see the top of the one on her chest, but you could tell it was new, and it was deep.

She looked at Peter and when she did, a huge wave of anger washed over me. If that was it, I would let it go, but it's the twinge of fear that I felt from her that really peaked my interests. Peter pisses everyone off, but the fact he scares my mate, now that pisses me off. He is her superior officer, so she can't attack him if he oversteps his boundaries because then she has to face me, and she learned to avoid that. She's not afraid to go at it with me, for some reason she kinda likes to fight with me, but the pain of having to be put back together ingrains itself in your mind and is filed under 'fire hot, pain is bad'. She dropped her head and casted her eyes to the ground. She has had little to no interaction with either of them outside of the training pit, so she had no clue how to act around them. She knew that I was close to them, but not the extent, and the last time she was alone with Peter, apparently he scared the shit out of her. I wasn't going to correct her on this though. It was good to see that she was going to act like she was trained to. It was unneeded in front of them, but good practice anyways.

With a sideways glance at Peter, "Yes Darlin', what did you need?"

She kept her head down but looked up a bit. "There was more than one pair of boots in the closet. Um, I wanted to know which ones you meant for me to wear."

"Oh, that really doesn't matter. Whichever. Just put on a pair and get out here." Not a second later she was standing behind me. I don't think I will ever get used to how fast she is. I looked down at her, yes down at her. The boots she chose had a three inch platform under her toes and a six inch heel and she was still about 5 inches shorter than me. Fuck she's a short shit. She gave me a smile which I returned with a wink. I looked back at Peter "When is everyone coming up?"

"Well Major, You were the one that decided to have a romp in the sack before hand, so you tell me." His eyes were locked on Bella's new mark, but to me it looked like he was looking at something else. And with the loud smacking sound bouncing around the room, I guess it looked like that to someone else too.

"Jesus Christ Peter have some fucking manners, or at least be slightly more subtle about looking at the Major's mate's chest in front of your wife." Then with a hiss under her breath, "Retarded dick." This is the shit I was talking about when I said I wanted them to stay away from Isabella and they show her things that I would never allow to happen. Fucked up banter is one thing, and one that Isabella is quite good at, but physical shit would lose her a hand. I slapped my forehead and growled, and Bella buried her face in my back trying to hide her laughter. She snuck a peek at the two and I felt her fear settle down after Peter got hit and she gained a sense of satisfaction. It did nothing for her anger, but like I said, Peter pisses everyone off. Bella move back behind me, but I felt her gratefulness. She seemed to be slightly more at ease now. Still on edge but a little calmer. I really wanna know what the fuck is going on with her. "Major, why don't I get Miss Bella a drink before everyone gets here? She seems a bit high strung." I ferried my brows but didn't sense anything off in her emotions, so I just shrugged.

"I don't care. Just don't fuck her up. I need her to be in her right mind in front of my guests, if you catch my drift."

She nodded and looked around me at Bella. "Well Miss Bella, shall we get you something to soothe those frayed nerves, Sugar?" Bella's nerves shot through the roof. I looked over my shoulder again and saw her eyes grow wide, eye brows vanished into her hairline, and her grip on my shirt tightened. Hmm, perhaps I do shelter her a bit too much. She looked up at me and I'm sorry to say, I laughed at the look she had.

"Bella, Darlin', she's not gonna bite you. Trust me, she wouldn't dare. Besides, you won't be out of my sight. Go get a drink and settle down. Just stay away from the whisky." I said with a wink. Yes she can handle the hard shit just fine, but she's a frisky little thing when she drinks it. I would fuck her in front of the whole world and not bat an eye at it, but that is not the frisky I am talking about. She becomes even more of a smart ass when Jack comes over to play, and I want this meeting to go off without a hitch. I might need to enlist the aid of these people and I can't have Bella fucking things up because she wants a playmate. She looked from me to Char, then back.

"Alright. If you say so." She stepped out from behind me and Char's eyes lit up like the Fourth of July. With as excited as she was, she moved to fast and grabbed Bella's arm, making her tense, snarl, and take a snap. My eyes narrowed and Char's hands flew up as she took a step back closer to Peter.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. That was not my intention at all. I have just been waiting for so long to get a chance to talk to you and I got a little over excited." All Bella did was growl at her. "So, um, how about that drink?" The uncertainty in her voice was not at all like her. Bella snorted and went to open her mouth, but I clamped my hand over it to keep her from saying whatever it was. The malice in her emotions was enough for me to know that is was not going to be very nice.

I dipped my head down next her ear and let out a chuckle when I felt her lips move against my hand. Looks like she was going to say it no matter what, but it was muffled o you could not understand her. "Now now little lady, play nice." She crossed her arms and huffed, but nodded. I didn't let go of her mouth because knowing her like I do, she was still going to be a little brat and say what was on her mind. "Bella, you are going to say you're sorry for taking a snap at her, then go over to the bar and get a drink. You are way to tense Sugar." I out right laughed at her when she growled at me. "Isabella, you know better than that. Now, keep your insult to yourself and use it a different day. We have shit to do right now, and I want you on your best behavior."

I moved my hand from her mouth and you didn't need my gift to know that she was pissed. It showed on her face. She clasped her hands together in front of her, turned from side to side like a three year old that wanted a cookie, looked at Char and gave her a thin lipped smart ass smile. Mother fuck, here we go.

"I am so incredibly sorry for snapping at you. It was not my..."

With a growl I stepped in. "Isabella Swan."

She turned to look at me and I narrowed my eyes and growled at her. She was playing with fire right now and was about to get burned. She huffed again, turned back to the scorned female vampire and crossed her arms. "I'm fucking sorry." I hissed at her.

Char nodded. "I should have taken into account the fact that you don't know me. I just figured that with as close as I am with the Major, you would have been a little nicer to me." Are you fucking kidding me? I defend her and she pulls this shit? I don't even fucking think so.

I looked at Peter at the same time he looked at me. He shook his head and took a step back with his hands up. I guess he is going to let this one play out. I followed his lead and did the same. We were both leaning on the wall watching the game of verbal tennis in front of us. Without looking at him, "no involvement unless it gets physical?" He touched the tip of his nose and nodded. So I settled in to watch my little instigator go at it with the blonde dim whit.

"Yeah, cuz I'm the kind of person that gives a fuck about how close some ugly ass, bottom feeding, blonde piece of trailer trash is to him. If my memory serves me and I understood the story I was told, the only reason you are even still alive is because of the Capitan."

Char smirked, "Well, at least I get to call the guy I'm fucking by his name and not his rank. Plus, PETER loves me enough to keep me safe so I'm not covered in ugly ass bite marks."

Bella smirked right the fuck back. "Believe me, these 'ugly ass bite marks' are not a problem of any kind. Allow me to clear this shit up, I call him Major out of respect in front of others, and at certain other intervals of time, but it was Jasper that I was screaming as he… well, you can see what he did." She rubbed the fresh mark on her hip and I was hit with her lust as she remembered how she got it and mother fuck, I love hearing my name come out of her mouth. "You must not be very good in the sack if you can't get the Captain to bite during his release and mark his territory. After all, it is the male vampy way." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Peter bit the inside of his cheek. I'm not sure if it was to keep his mouth shut or if it was to stop him from laughing though. "You have not fucked him to a release before have you? You do know that you can't get pregnant so the pull and pray is really not necessary."

Char's eyes narrowed. "Peter is very well taken care of in that department Sugar, trust me. Has been since before you were born." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and Bella caught sight of her neck. Yeah, you know where we bite when we claim our mates, and saw no such mark, on either side. I didn't even know that he hasn't claimed her. She always has her hair down and covering her neck. I have been calling her his mate for over a century so this was quite the fucking shock. And I know it showed on my face. I caught it earlier when Charlotte called her his wife and not his mate. Thinking back on it, I know Peter called her his mate before. Huh, I guess he just never claimed the bitch.

Peter elbowed me in the ribs bringing me back to the present, and in a voice that only I could hear, "Shits about to hit the fan Major." I nodded because I kinda figured that out.

I felt Bella's shock at this too, but it did not stop her from saying something really fucking stupid. "Yeah, you're right, Capitan Whitlock just loves you to pieces to keep you scar free. So much so that he won't even put his OWN mark on you." She pointed to the marks on her neck that I put there and with a smirk continued, "See these? These are the marks an actual mate wears. I see that you don't have them, so either you're just not doing something right, or Capitan Whitlock is smart enough to not want to put up with your ass for a fucking eternity. Not that I blame him, he does deserves so much better than a rats nest for a mate." She started clapping her hands like a little kid that was told that she was going to Disney World. "I totally understand the whole 'open relationship' now."

Char roared out "You little bitch!" That was stupid, but then she made to lunge, which was retarded.

I was off the wall and standing in a protective stance in front of my mate before Charlotte's feet even left the floor. Peter appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Sugar, you need to stop. We discussed why you don't bare my mark. Don't be stupid and get yourself hurt." Then he turned a very pissed off look at Bella. I couldn't see her, but I could only imagine the look she gave him. "I told you not to say shit about the fact that she was not bitten. Don't think for a second just because you're his mate that you're off the hook. You disregarded a direct order, so don't be feeling any kinds of victory right now." Excuse me? No one talks to her like that and gets off scot-free.

With a snarl ripping free from me, "You wanna repeat that fucker? Don't think that I won't fuck you up if you threaten my mate again. What fucked up order did she disregard?"

"I told her that if she ever saw Charlotte's neck to keep her fucking mouth shut." Ah, the incident in my bunk came flying into my mind. That's why she got scared when she saw Peter. The last time she had any interaction with him he fucking threatened her. Oh, you fucked up something fierce there Pete. Guess I know why he didn't get involved with the argument at the beginning. He wanted to see if she would do what she was told.

I crouched down into a fighting stance and growled out "And the reason behind that fucked up nonsense? You cannot blame her if you didn't bite the bitch. It's not her responsibility to appease you and not call someone on their bull shit. You wanna act all high and mighty, bring it dickhead, but get your own shit in order before you even think of coming at my mate like that again. You're my brother Peter, so it would really suck to have to kill you." I was not kidding when I told my little lady that I would destroy anyone that even thought of harming her. I would hate for it to be Peter, but I can live without him. I cannot however live without her. "And Peter, if I find out that you threatened my mate again, I will not hesitate to rip out your tongue. Am I completely understood?"

He moved Charlotte behind him, but didn't mimic me. His eyes were hard but he knew when he was beaten. He nodded and then did his best to try and fix the situation. "I think it would be prudent to keep the ladies away from one another. I don't think that your mate and my wife are going to get along anytime soon." Really? Ya fucking think?

I didn't stand up, but I did give an order. "Get everyone in here. We still have shit to do." He nodded and walked over to the window with his phone in hand leaving Charlotte to stand right in front of me. "I think it would be a relatively good idea to go away right now, Sergeant. I really don't have the best control at the moment." She looked down and gave a stiff nod. As she turned around I was struck with a thought. "Oh, and Char," she turned her head back to me and had fear in her eyes. I stood up and looked her dead in the eye. "I had better never hear you disrespect or speak ill of Isabella again. Be it to her face or behind her back. Do not get it in your head that it will not get back to me. I let Peter deal with you the last time you fucked up and didn't listen, but you are not really protected under the whole mate thing, so you will not be so lucky next time. This is your last and only warning. Stay the fuck away from her or you will deal with me. Do you get me?"

"Yes, I get you Sir."

"Good." I pointed to Peter who was watching our interaction with a close eye. "Peter is waiting for you." She gave a nod and walked over to Peter. He wasted no time in starting in on her for not just shutting up and accepting the apology from Bella in the first place. She was in the wrong and they both knew it. I wonder how long Peter was going to continue to let her think that when I allowed them to run away all those years ago was for any other reason than because he asked. It had nothing to do with her. She was just another newborn to me. Eh, not my problem. But I did have one that I needed to address. I narrowed my eyes and rounded on Bella who was still behind me. She was backed up to the wall so I put my hands on either side of her head and trapped her between my arms. I got real close to her face and in a really low voice that I have not used with her since she woke up, "I will deal with you later. Calling her out on not being marked was not only fucked up, it was completely uncalled for. If I didn't need you to be at your best right now, you would be in a fuck of a lot of pain. But think of this as a promise for later. You fucked up big time here Pet, and you will have to pay the consequences."

She stepped forward and made her nose touch mine, narrowed her own eyes and there was a growl starting in her chest. "You think I give a fuck? So I hurt the bitch's feelings, big goddamn deal. And do you really think that I'm afraid of you? The worst you are going to do is rip something off. Been there, done that. If you really want to threaten me, get more creative _Major._ " Huh, my pet grew claws. When the fuck did that happen? Her voice had so much malice in it that I had to put a great deal of effort into not taking a step away from her. "And another thing, I told you 6 months ago that you could do whatever you wanted and I would keep comin', just so we're clear, I fucking meant it."

I felt my eyes tighten. I am not someone that is smart to step up to like this, nor am I one to allow anyone one to call me out like that in front of others. It's a death sentence. With a smirk on my face and a growl in my own chest, "Is that a fact? Well Darlin', I highly suggest you reconsider your stance on that. Remember when you first woke up and I told you that vampires can go through decades of pain and still not find death? Who do you think wrote that book? I won't kill you, but trust me; you're going to wish I would." I forced myself to calm down when I felt her fear start to overwhelm her. So much for not being afraid of me. She puts on a good front, but some shit you just can't hide. But still, trust me that was a fuck of a lot of hard work. I pulled back a bit so I was no longer touching her, "for now though, you're going to be a good little pet and behave the way you know how. I don't give a fuck if you want to or not, you're sure as hell going to. Then, when this little shindig is over with, we are going to have a little chat about your attitude."

Well, she is not afraid to say what's on her mind. "Fuck. You. Albino. Fuck. Nut. The only thing there is to talk about is the fact that you are always bossing me around and I have had enough of it."

Pulling back farther from her and crossing my arms so I don't slap her, "you think I boss you around? Oh no, not yet anyways. I am going to tell you one last fucking time, and this time, I want you to listen. You are MINE. You belong to me. I guess you didn't understand that the first 50 times I told you this, so I will give you the run down, you will listen to me, you will obey me, and you will conduct yourself the way I taught you to. You think you're sick of shit now, well, say goodbye to Mr. Nice guy."

"That was your Mr. Nice guy?"

I softened my face and fluttered my eyelashes, "I know, and I'm gonna miss him." My face hardened when I got serious. "I'm done with the leniency I have shown you. You're going to behave or I am going to kick your fuckin' ass. I have no problems with punishing you in front of anyone. It's time you learned your place and guess what; it's BEHIND me, not BESIDE me. I have told you all this before, but I guess you're more of a visual learner. That's fine because I am more of a 'hands on' type of teacher. I'm done with the games Isabella, playtime is over. Now grow the fuck up and act like the nice fucking young lady that I know I trained you too be."

Her hip jutted out, her arms crossed, and both eyebrows raised up. Mother fucker. I was hoping to have her all in one piece when my guests showed up, but I am thinking that idea is shot to shit. Wonderful. "If you think for one fucking second that is going to happen, you my dear are sorely mistaken."

I swear my arm has a mind of its own sometimes. It shot out and punched a hole in the wall right next to her head. Don't care. With my hand still firmly embedded in the wall, I ran my nose up her neck and got right next to her ear. "Kitty got claws huh baby girl. I know you get off on pain and all, but right now is not the time to see how much I am capable of putting you in." I chuckled when I heard her gulp and tried to hide the shiver going down her spine. Fucking freak. "Don't push your luck with me anymore than you already have. Remember all those months ago? The same rule applies; under your own power or under mine. How do you think this is gonna play out? I will have my way; one way or another Isabella, make no fucking mistake." I pulled my arm out of the wall and grabbed the hair on the back of her head and pulled it back so she was looking up at me. "Now, the option is yours. Do I have to control you or do you think you can manage that on our own?" I got my answer when she hissed at me. "Perfect. You do know how I love complete control." I let go of her hair and just turned away from her. Looking at the other two vampires in the room I locked eyes with my second in command. "So, Capitan, when will our guest be arriving?"

"Momentarily Major." Fantastic.

"Fabulous." I turned back to my seething mate and just gave her a condescending smile. "Isabella, why don't you come with me to the bar and help me get some refreshments ready for our guest." She just cocked an eyebrow.

"You're shitting me right?" Not a chance.

"No my perfect little wallflower. I'm not." I pointed to the bar, "Go." When she didn't move I dipped into her emotions and played around with them until I found the cocktail I was looking for. Complete submission. I smirked when I saw her face go blank and her shoulders slouch. "Good girl." I extended my elbow for her to take. When she did I leaned down to talk in her ear on my way to the bar. "Isn't this so much easier than you trying to fight an unwinnable battle? I have the most tactical mind in the world. So a piece of advice, you're never going to beat me. So from now on, just go with the flow yes? I don't really like having to do things this way, but I'll take it over having to harm you in anyway. Believe it or not, I don't like to hurt you, but I have no problem doing it if you ever put me in the position you put me in again. I am not going to let it go. Your ass is in big trouble right now baby girl." She just nodded while looking at the floor. When we stopped at the bar she stood behind my shoulder and laced her fingers together behind her back. I could feel Peter's irritation from across the room and just rolled my eyes at him.

"Major, even for you this seems a bit low."

I turned my head and smirked at him. "Not really. How the fuck do you think I got you to do what I wanted for 75 years? How do you think I get the fuck heads to listen? I do the same thing every day. But let me ask you this. If you have my gift, and you actually did bite the bitch and formally made her your mate, and you have a group of people that have to be impressed coming to meet said mate all on top of the fact that you are a very feared mother fucker, would you not do what you the same fucking thing?"

He pursed his lips and I think he might actually put some thought into that. "Well, if you put it that way, I can see your point. Miss Bella here is a bit of a pistol, and has, from what I have seen and heard, no problem putting anyone in their place, no matter how stupid her choice of challenger happens to be. But for the record, I certainly don't fucking approve."

"Watch it Capitan. I'm still not happy with you either. A yes or no would have worked just fine. Speaking of which, you never answered me. What the fuck possessed you to think that it was a good idea to threaten my mate and how did you not know that shit was going to get back to me?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the ceiling. Well, this should be good. "I was more so hoping it wouldn't." Is that a fact?

"Really?" I turned back to Bella "Darlin' mix up some long islands and a pitcher of sex on the beach please." I turned my head to the side, "I think I need to have a word with a soon to be dead fucker."

"You asked and I answered. Did you want me to lie?"

I was growling again. "I want to know the reason you went behind my back and against my orders and in doing so scared the shit out of MY mate and I want to know it now."

"I didn't want her to hurt Char's feelings because we have been together for so long and I still have not bit her."

"Lot of fucking good that did huh? And because YOU disregarded a direct order it ended up being a big ass fucked up mess." I clapped my hands together I'm sure making myself look like an ass, but the situation called for it. "And yet, you want some sort of restitution towards my mate for disregarding your dumb ass orders." I dropped my hands but raised my voice, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND? You started all this bull shit because you can't bring yourself to just fucking bite the chick you have been fucking for over 100 fucking years." We all know I say fuck a lot when I get pissed. Get the fuck over it. "You need to get over whatever the fuck it is, and nut up or shut up because you are a fucking retard. And just for the record. This crap is done. You're going to get over the fact that Bella called out your bitch, because she only did it after she called Bella out on our relationship. She also disrespected me and that shit doesn't fucking fly and you fucking know it. You stayed out of it till Bella fucked up, not caring in the fucking slightest that she overstepped her bounds. This shit is going to stop and I mean right fucking now." I looked over at the female vampire giving sideways looks at my Bella and just about came unglued. "What did I tell you? One more glare at her and I won't stop her next time she wants to fuck you up. We both know she can take you, let's not let her prove it." I heard the hum of the elevator getting louder so I knew that all this needed to be put to rest for now. "This is done. It is not to be discussed or brought up ever again. Understood?"

They nodded just as the ding sounded to let me know I had to give permission for the elevator to continue to our floor. Taking a deep breath I walked over and put in the code and took my place at the bar in front of Bella who was finishing up what I asked her to. I turned my head to look at her and she looked at me with a blank look in her eyes. I really do hate doing this to her. "Bella, darlin', I am going to give you back your emotions. Do not make me regret it."I pulled my gift back and watched the life come back to her. "I mean it Isabella. Do not make the mistake in thinking that I will not put you right back under." She nodded. She really hates when I do that.

The doors opened and I smiled when I saw who the first to arrive were. This is going to be interesting. I was blocking Bella's view and I felt her curiosity sky rocket, but she was trying not to let it consume her. I looked over at her, winked, and extended my hand to her. She didn't look at the vampires coming into the room, but chose to keep her eyes on mine. I moved her to my side and bent down to her ear and in a voice only she could here, "Don't worry baby girl, and just remember you're safe." She looked up at me with a confused face. I tilted my head to the two nomads in the living room, "Bella, you remember Victoria and James."With wide eyes, she looked around me and locked on the red eyes of a vampire she saw me and Emmett kill 7 years ago. She could not take her eyes off him. Her fear and pain shot through the roof and I knew she was remembering the ballet studio. I really hated to put her through that, but it was necessary. She finally pulled her eyes from his and looked at her wrist. James' bite was still visible there and still does not fail to piss me off.

She looked back up at him and with scrunched eyebrows, a shaking head, and a stuttering voice, "But, but I, I saw you, you die." She looked back at me, "I saw you kill him. I saw you rip him apart and burn the pieces."

James took a step forward and bowed his head. "What you saw and what happened is not the same thing Miss Bella. You were in a lot of pain. No one can believe anything they see with a vampire's venom running through their system. Plus it did have to be a convincing show for the other vamps in the room."

Bella looked at him out of the corner of her eye, but didn't turn to him. "What the hell are you going on about?"

"Mind your manners Bella." That got her attention back on me. I raised my eyebrows in a questioning manner. She shook her head and said a quite sorry. I turned to Peter who was still by the window. "Peter, would you mind?" I hopped up and sat on the bar and pulled Bella between my legs, wrapped my arms around her shoulders and put my chin on the top of her head.

Peter walked over with Charlotte in tow. "Of course." He looked at Bella, "Miss Bella, the Major told you his past right?" she nodded. "Well, did he tell you everything between the time he left us and the time he met Alice?" she shook her head. Peter looked at me and I shrugged.

"It wasn't time to tell her all that. I did however tell her that there were still things that she didn't know about me and it would come to light tonight." Bella turned her head and looked at me. I could see hurt in her eyes but she didn't let it show in any other way. I squeezed her tighter, "Oh come on. I am working on a need to know basis here. Like you didn't need to know that James was still alive, but you do know that you're perfectly safe, just like you didn't need to know how I spent all my time for 15 years, but you did need to know about my first time in the army so you knew who you were mated to. Well, as far as how I became who I am and what I am capable of." She didn't say anything just turned her head back to Peter when he cleared his throat.

"Do you want this story told before or after the rest show up?" I waved my hand and told him to continue. He rolled his eyes and looked back at Bella. "I am not going to go into a great deal of detail, not really a need. The Major wondered around for a bit, ya know, getting the lay of the land, finding the best places from a tactical standpoint. He met few others but came across different scents all the time. As you know, vampires tend to do their best to stay out of his way. Just like now, there was not a vampire alive that didn't know who he was and didn't fear him. But the first time around it was worse as far as that was concerned. Anyways, about 5 years in he ran into these two. Victoria was only a few months old and James was having a bit of a hard time keeping her under control. He's not her sire, and at the time, they were not mates yet either. He found her wandering around and figured he would try and help her out. When Jasper hit the scent trail he knew there were a newborn and another one just about as old as him, give or take a few years either way. You know that James is a tracker, perfectly honed nose, ears with a farther range than your average vampy. Jasper was ten feet away from him leaning against a tree, arms crossed, and trying not to laugh. James had Vicky here on the ground in a piss poor headlock trying to stop her from a huge massacre that would have put our exposure in danger. James said something and the Major snorted getting their attention. Dialog not important, but Jasper offered his help and James agreed.

"Over the next two months Japer help James in taming the wild beast that was Victoria's worst newborn time. You know, showing him better grips and restraining holds that get a better response. Also helping him go over the rules of our world and better explaining to her what she was. In the two months that they worked with her, Jasper and James developed a comradeship that would lead to the forming of a coven." And there it is. Bella's shock was clear for everyone in the room and was so much it almost had me falling backwards off the bar top.

She whipped around and looked me dead in the eyes. "You have your own coven?"

With a cocky smirk and a shrug, "Yes I do, but I think of it as my own personal army. Over the years it has grown very large and they are scattered all over the world. You'll be meeting some of them tonight, but you won't meet them all till the time is right. Every one of them got enlisted in a different way." I nodded in the direction of James and Victoria. "Take these two for example, James and I got close during Victoria's newborn days. I was not looking for anything long lasting. I was bored and looking for something to do. What better than beating the shit out of a newborn that wanted nothing to do with anything but feeding? She was the first one I ever dealt with that was able to keep her lust under control enough to not just fuck anything that she could fit inside herself. It wasn't until I was getting ready to leave that James decided to make Vicky his mate. That was when James also felt it was necessary to inform me that if I ever needed him, he would be there no questions asked. This was the times before cell phones and finding a tracker is not the world's easiest task, even for me."

"But I know I saw you burn him. Edward told me you did and Emmet helped you do it."

"Miss Bella, you were a human living in the supernatural world. You of all people should know to never believe what your eyes tell you."Her eyes snapped open and a snarl ripped its way out of her throat as her head snapped back to the room before she even had time to process what she was doing. She really does hate these two huh, and good fucking god, the sounds this girl makes never fail to go straight to my dick. She was trying to get out of my arms without making it obvious to the rest in the room, or at least to her targets, well target. Her eyes were black and her teeth were bared and the growl that came out of her had everyone in the room take a step back. I just smiled down at her with soft eyes and kissed her neck. Ok, so I fell for my mate. Fucking bite me. "Are you going to get her under control or are you going to let her rip my head off?"

I moved my eyes to look at him and tilted my head to the side, laying it on Bella's shoulder and kept my face in my baby's neck. "Well, I'm not sure. Don't you think she might have a tiny bit of a reason to be pissed at you?"

"Jesus Christ Jasper, just settle her the fuck down."

That was when Bella's subtle attempts to get out of my hold were no longer subtle. Her eyes were locked on the redhead. She snapped her teeth at her and James pulled Victoria behind him and then made the mistake of growling at my baby girl. Yeah, like I am going to let that shit slide. My narrowed eyes looked at him. I tightened my grip on Bella and took away James' aggression and replaced it with fear. His eyes went back to red real fucking fast. I whispered in Bella's ear, "Keep your cool babe. I will handle this."

I kissed Bella's neck again before I looked up to the two new arrivals. "I think you two would do well to remember two things. One, Bella is my mate and with that title comes a certain level of respect that you will show her. And two, well this one is more for Vicky; she was personally trained by me in the art of fighting. Neither of you would stand a chance in hell against her, so I highly recommend that you watch what you say. I do not take it lightly when she is disrespected, and neither does she when it comes to me. Watch yourself. I won't stop her every time."

That is when Peter made himself known again. "So, guess what The God of War's mate did? She dispatched the pixy and the prick in a beautiful display. The way Major Whitlock described it, it was poetry in motion." I looked over at him with a drawn face. God damn it, did he really have to say it.

Victoria's face would have turned red if it was possible. "That little scared up fucking, ugly ass slut did WHAT? That shit was my job!" It was that comment that had all hell breaking loose in my hotel room.

Bella snarled and twisted out of my grip lunging at Victoria, her teeth finding her neck right below the sweet spot that she knew was a for sure decapitation. James went to protect his mate by grabbing Bella by the arm and tossing her across the room. My sight went red and I went to attack him but was taken to the ground by Peter. I looked to my mate and saw she was being restrained, but not touched at that point. Char was between them and James was keeping Victoria at bay. My mate was in a crouch, weight on the balls of her feet, hands on the ground in front of her, snapping her teeth, growling, lunging but never leaving her spot. She wanted to attack, I know she did, but was doing everything she could to stay put. Char was trying to reason with her, but after the earlier spat Bella wanted nothing to do with her and snapped at her, pulling back at the last second and missing Char's hand by millimeters at the most.

Peter got close to my ear and started talking calmly and projecting nothing but calm in an attempt to calm me down. "Jazz, come on man, you're the only one that is going to be able to settle this situation down, so you're going to have to calm your ass down. Miss Bella is fine. She landed on her feet. She is just mad, but she is not hurt. Feel for her and you'll see for yourself." So I did just that and he was right. She was fine.

I took a deep breath and centered my own emotions than did the same to Bella. If hers are out of whack mine will be too. Her breathing started to slow and her eyes slowly started to turn back to red. She looked over at me and closed her eyes. She thought she was going to be in trouble for the attack. I tossed Peter off me and got to my feet. Tilting my head from side to side, I flooded the room with calmer emotions. Char backed off of Bella but still stood close in case Bella lost it again. "Bella." She turned to look at me and my tight eyes. "Come here." She stood and made her way over to me keeping her eyes down and away from the onlookers. I could feel Victoria's smugness and triumph. I would deal with that in a moment.

Bella came to stand right in front of me and looked down at the carpet that seemed very interesting to her right now. I grabbed her chin and lifted her chin to look at me. "Are you alright baby girl?" She gulped and nodded. Her fear was starting to get the best of her. She really is not afraid of me. She knows she has no reason to be, but she is afraid of being punished. I bent down and kissed her harder than was really necessary shocking the shit out of her. Victoria's emotions turned to shock and disgust where everyone else was just relieved. When the Major is happy, most of the time everyone is. I pulled back and looked in her eyes. I saw out of the corner of my eyes that everyone looked away trying not to intrude on a private moment. "Bella, my beautiful mate, you know that you messed up right?" she nodded again. "You know what you did right?"

"Yes sir Major."

I shifted my eyes to look at Victoria. "You do also know you're not the only one at fault." I looked back at my shaking mate and saw her eyebrows rise up a bit. "I told you to keep your cool and I would deal with it. You didn't listen. However, the way I see it, you were provoked. You were not attacked physically, but you were attacked and I see nothing wrong with defending yourself. Now, that being said, do you know what James is capable of? Do you know what he could have done had he the mind and death wish? Your safety is my number one concern and my only priority. When you forget about and cast aside your safety just because someone pisses you off, that puts me in a difficult situation. I was not lying when I told you that I would destroy anyone that harms you, but if you put yourself in that situation, I have to make a judgment call on letting you take care of it yourself and hope you don't get hurt, or step in and you not learn anything. This is one of those times. I know for a fact that you would best James in a fight, but at what cost to you? You have a retardedly high pain tolerance and no fucking common since. You're a lot like me. You let your emotions rule you but you can't do that. You have to rule your emotions and not get pissed off over little tiny things like someone calling you names. You stuck to words with Char earlier, why could you not do it this time?"

Her voice was so quiet I could hardly hear her. "Um, I don't have to answer to her on a regular basis. And, I, uh, wanted to hurt her to get back at James for hurting me." Vindictive little shit.

I looked over at James and Victoria. He was holding the piece of skin Bella pulled off in place and telling her that she really needs to keep her fucking mouth shut. I think I might just rip out her tongue for that. It was uncalled for and I am getting really tired of people pissing off my mate today. As far as James is concerned he might be an easy going guy, but he knows that Bella meant business and could have killed her if she wanted to. Looking back at Bella I had a smirk on my face. "Well, I would say you accomplished that." I crossed my arms. "Now tell me, how do you feel about it now that you inflicted harm on her?" She was trying to push down her emotions and hide the fact that she was proud of herself.

She crossed her arms behind her back and looked down at the ground before looking back up at me. In a stronger voice than her emotions allowed for, "I won't feel bad about what I did."

"I don't want you to. I want you to own up to your actions and tell my how it made you feel."

"I feel like a weight was lifted."

"Baby girl, I want you to listen to me for a second alright. I know you're proud of yourself. You got a revenge that people that were wronged by a vampire never get. But now that it is out of your system, I want you to put it to rest and let it go. It will not bode well for either of you if every time you see each other you two fight like cats over a scrap of tuna."

She looked over at Victoria and I felt for how she felt. I didn't find an ounce of regret. Well, she did own up to her actions. She felt pride, wrath, anger, and hate. Well Darlin', don't hold anything back. I looked at her eyes and they were not just looking at her. She was looking at the pair. Her emotions started to overwhelm her again so I squashed that shit flat. When she looked at me she gave me a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

I chuckled and shook my head before taking her hand and leading her to the couch. I sat down and pulled her onto my lap and wrapped her tight in my arms. This was to make her stay put and to show her I was not mad anymore and she was fine for the time being. "Alright, now that we are all the best of friends and won't kill each other, we will set up times for mani pedis later. Right now we have a few things to talk about. There are drinks on the bar. Help yourselves and take a seat. It's time to get started." And they did just that.

Peter brought me a Jack on the rocks and Char brought Bella a long island. "No gin, sub tequila and extra triple sec. I hope that was right."

Bella took the glass with a smile. "Thanks. And you got it right."

Char smiled back. "Good. I am really sorry about earlier."

"Me too, and I do apologize for snapping at you when you grabbed me. I was not really in the right state of mind."

"It's quite alright. After the fight we had I actually expected to get bit, not just snapped at."

Bella let out a very unlady like snort. "I would have but you were not the one I wanted, your venom would have tasted like shit. Know what I mean? When you really want it, it tastes so much better." She looked at Victoria when she said the next part. "And you know when I want to fight and don't get stopped, I am always out for blood and body parts." She looked back at Char,

"But I would have felt bad if I got you. You didn't do anything to warrant my rash behavior at that point."

This was when Victoria spoke again. "Oh, she has done plenty. Trust me on that." I shot her with a look telling her to shut the fuck up and Bella turned her head to the side and started to get pissed.

"What could she have done to warrant that?"

James grabbed Victoria around the waist and pulled her to the chair and sat down with her on his lap. "Nothing Miss Bella. Victoria just likes to cause problems when there is no need to." Yeah, if you think that lame shit is going to derail her from this you're a fucking moron. Fuck.

"That has to be the biggest load of bull shit I have ever heard, and I have heard a lot of bull shit in my life. Remember, I hung out with Vampires before I was one, I know how to detect lies, and that was a whopper."

Peter sent me some serious 'oh shit' emotions. No shit fucker. Time to stop this shit before it gets any worse. "Bella, stop being rude. You really need to learn to trust people when they tell you something."

She looked at me from the corner of her eye and I could feel her skepticism. "Is this more of that 'need to know' bullarky? Cuz I'm smellin' some serious shit right now and it stinks."

"Yup. Sorry darlin'. You're just going to have to trust me that it is better for now if you just drop it."

She searched my eyes, saw something she didn't like, narrowed her eyes and spoke in a cold voice, "Fine. But for the record, this whole keeping shit that I know concerns me from me is only going to go for so long. It is bull and you know that I know that you know that." She set her drink down, unlocked my arms from her waist, stood up, grabbed her cigarettes and just walked away without another word. I followed her with my eyes to the balcony door and watched her go outside and closed my eyes when she slammed the fucking door, and then winced with everyone else when we heard her punch the brick wall with all her fucking strength with a scream of pure hurt and rage that I know she tried to keep in. Mother fuck, this is going to be bad. She is beyond pissed, by that I mean I have never felt her get this pissed before, as a human or vampire. She is a lethally trained killer, she is a woman scorned, and she is stewing in these emotions.

I put my elbows on my knees, laced my fingers together, put my forehead on my knuckles and my thumbs on either side of the bridge of my nose pushing them into my eyes. I stopped breathing and sat completely still weighing my options. I know it will be worse if I make her settle down, but I can't have her punching a bunch of holes in the wall of the building. I can tell her what is being kept from her while she is already as pissed as she can get and deal with her wrath like a man, or I can just let everything run its course and continue to keep it a secret like a fucking pussy afraid his girlfriend is going to break up with him if she found out. I am not a dumbass, I am completely aware that she would find out, but I was hoping for a bit more time to approach the subject. Staying in my position, I opened my eyes and looked around the room. James was looking at the side of Victoria's head while she looked at the floor, and Peter and Char were looking back at me.

"Well, what are you going to do Major?" I just shrugged. I didn't want to make a big deal out of her tantrum. "What is she feeling?"

I felt for her, "Wrath, fury, anger, hate, hurt. The list of negativeness is never ending. And I think she actually felt some pain when she hit the wall."

"Are you just going to let her stay out there then?"

"Yeah, for a few anyways. She needs to settle down and I don't want to do it for her. I have been doing that to much lately, she needs to learn how to deal with her overbearing emotions eventually. What better time than right now?"

"Well, there is the fact that by now Aro knows that you and she killed the two little fuckers and probably has a price on your heads by now. Or did you forget about that?"

"No, I didn't forget. But I doubt that he would do anything right now. So what if he knows that the two are dead. We are 15 floors off the ground in the middle of the most crowded city in the country. Plus, Bella would let us know if there was someone that was not supposed to be here was here."

"Not to point out a flaw in that plan, but Miss Bella does not know anyone that you have coming here. How would she be able to do that?"

"She has personal space issues. If someone gets too close she freaks out. A growl or hiss, plus I am fully locked on her emotions. She's fine. Pissed off as all hell, but fine." I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms. "I do really keep to much from her, don't I?"

"Not everything works like an army. Need to know is not a real healthy thing to have in a matted relationship. But there are things I know she's not ready to hear, but sometimes that's the best time to tell them."

"What are you referring to exactly?"

"You're falling for her." I raised my eyebrows and shrugged.

"What the fuck is your point. She's my mate; it was bound to happen at some point Peter."

"Yes, but when are you going to tell her that?"

I tilted my head to the side, "When are you going to tell her that you changed her for that reason?"

"She's not my mate, Major. It is not my place to interfere, _remember_? I am simply saying that she is not a soldier, or not first and foremost anymore. She has meaning to you. I am not saying that you have to tell her everything, but something is better than nothing."

I smirked. "Chicken shit."

"Be that as it may, your mate is a scary little bitch and I want no part of her wrath faced at me ever the fuck again. Let's not forget, she bit me before, and I swear, it hurt worse than any other bite I have ever had, excluding when you bit to change me." Everyone had a little laugh at that. Her teeth are really fucking sharp.

"Yeah, I know. I got bit to the point I thought she was going to take a chunk out of my arm because your wife would not listen to me and go the fuck away." I stood up and walked over to the balcony door. She almost ripped it off the hinges. You could see the place she hit and fuck, that is going to be a bitch to fix. I looked at her smoking while leaning on the rail with her hands shoulder width apart, feet crossed at the ankles with her left foot's toes on the ground and her foot was rocking back and forth. The wind blew her hair all around her, whipping at her face and across her back. The moon shining on her skin making her scars pop out all the more. It was the picture of beauty in my book. With a sigh I went outside to face my wonderfully pissed off mate.

I saw her tense when my scent hit her nose. Her head dropped and shoulders slumped. "Hello Major. I was wondering how long you were going to let me stay in one piece."

"I am not here to punish you Baby girl. I am just as in the wrong as you are."

I felt her humor rise, "Does that mean I get to relive you of your finger then?"

I snorted. "No, but I am here to apologize." She looked over her shoulder at me and raised her eyes brow. "I spent so much time having to keep the same shit from everyone that sometimes I forget that I don't have to keep it from you."

"Like the coven?"

"Exactly like that. There are a lot of people that would love to see me dead. People that I have wronged. Coven members that want my head for taking the lives of fellow members. Mates of people I have killed. I have at least 15 enemies for every ally."

She turned and leaned with her back on the rail and crossed her arms. "I would think that people would want you as an ally opposed to an enemy."

I perched myself on the railing across from her, crossing my arms and put my back on the wall. "You only really want a killing machine on your side when you're out to destroy something Darlin'. And I have been at that for a long time. Most of my life has been spent killing. Even the six decades I was with the Cullen's, my reputation always preceded me. It's not the scars that make our kind shun away from me, it's the reputation that goes with them. There is not another vampire alive that has more than I do. There is not a vampire alive that has killed more of our kind than I have. I like my space, and for the most part, other vampires are too afraid of me to get to friendly."

She shook her head tossing her hair over her shoulder, "I am still waiting for the apology. So far all I'm hearing is justifications."

I sighed, "Look, I'm sorry if you think that I am keeping things from you for no reason, but there are a lot of things that I just can't let you know about and that's for your own safety. You know how dangerous I am. And dangerous people have dangerous enemies."

"You know you really suck at apologies."

"I have been told that before. I don't do this very often. But I am sorry if I hurt you by keeping you in the dark."

She took a deep breath and rubbed her hands on her face. She dropped her hands and tossed her head back and looked up at the night sky. "Jazz, I get that I really have no right to ask, but I am going to do it anyways, why are you so afraid of telling me what the fuck you got me in to by making me your mate? Don't you think that I have a right to know?" She had a point.

"It's not that I am afraid to tell you, I'm not. I am more so afraid of your reaction."

"My reaction has never once bothered you. So I don't believe that bologna for a second."

"Believe what you want Doll. Things are different now." Fuck. Where the fuck did my mental filter go?

She tilted her head to the side and put her hands on the railing. "Different how?"

I leaned my head on the wall and shut my eyes. "It just is. Let it go."

Even a deaf man could hear the amusement in her voice. "I don't think so. You never say what you don't mean remember? Don't tell me you had a small moment of weakness and let something slip." Bitch. She knows that is exactly what happened.

I turned my head to look at her and I saw the smirk on her face. I signaled her to come to me with my finger and was really not surprised when she shook her head. She was still pissed, just being polite. I sighed and closed my eyes again. "Bella, I am not a sentimental person."

She snorted. "No fucking shit. Even a blind man can see that, Jasper. Not a shocking statement. The shocking part is you felt you had to inform me of it."

I was starting to get a bit pissed myself. "That was not all I was going to say Darlin'"

"Then just fucking spit it out. Jesus. You know, for someone that hardly even ca…" And now I am pissed. I jumped off the rail and landed facing her.

"I FUCKING LOVE YOU so don't you EVEN say I DON'T CARE!" Yeah, that's how I wanted to tell her that. Fuck it; better just get it all out and I will work on the fucking mental filter later. "I was ready to kill Peter not even an hour ago because he threatened you. Two days ago I ripped Edward apart because he bit you, and if I ever see any of those fucking golden eye fucking Cullen's again I will take great pleasure in roasting marshmallows over their burning bodies because they made you cry. Never mind what they did to me, they hurt you and that is a fucking death wish in my book. I told you I am a dangerous son of a bitch. I told you I had dangerous enemies, but I have even more dangerous allies.

"Do you really want to know everything Bella? Do you really want to know all the kinds of things I have done to people and had a smile on my face the whole time? Do you really want to know all of the things I had done to me and laughed at them and asked them to do it again? Not only am I dangerous because of what I am capable of doing to others, I am dangerous because I could care less about what I have happen to me. Things are different now because I care now. I actually give a shit if I survive a fight I get in. I actually give a fuck if I die now, because if I die than I won't be here with you.

"You became my life at some point, and I could not tell you when, I can't tell you when I even started to fall, but it happened and now that it did, I." I shook my head and rubbed my face. "I can't even fathom what my life would be like if even for a second you were not there. I need you with me for the rest of eternity. I need you like humans need to breathe. If you really want to know, I won't deny you the knowledge, but I am here to tell you, you are not going to like what you hear. But I can't deny you anything."

She looked at me for a moment, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly. I left her emotions alone. I didn't want to know, nor did I want the temptation to fuck with them. She looked down and licked her lips and bit her bottom one. I saw her eyes shifting, looking all over the place before she looked up at me. When she spoke her voice was thick and heavy. "You love me?"

"Yes, all that matters to me now is you. All that has mattered to me for a while has been you. I don't want you to think that things are going to turn to rainbows and kittens, because it won't. I am just not that guy, but I do love you. I will do my best to show you that, but I can't promise you anything. If you're looking for soft and cuddly, you're not going to find it, but you will find someone that will always be there when you need him, to protect you when you need it, back you up when you don't, put you back together when you fall apart. I am going to fuck up and fuck up often, but there it is; in black and white."

Her eyes became glossed over. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Um." She closed her eyes and shook her head. I tilted my head to the side and clasped my hands behind my back. When she opened her eyes she flashed me a teeth filled smile, her eyes sparkled and he flung herself into my arms that I wasted no time wrapping around her waist as her legs went around my waist and her arms went around my neck.

I knotted one hand in her hair and crashed my lips to hers before walking her over to the railing and sitting her down on it. Taking full control of the kiss I licked her bottom lip and slipped my tongue in when she opened her mouth. She had one hand on the back of my neck, fingers laced in my hair and the other was holding the collar of my shirt. I dipped into her emotions now and I felt for what I was looking for. Lust, desire, submission, devotion were always there, but I was looking for something else. It was right there in the forefront, her love.

The kiss started to get a bit to heated so I slowed it down and pulled back and rested my head on hers. She looked into my eyes and with a smile on her face, said the words that sealed both our fates, "I love you too Jazz." And leaned back in for another kiss that was very shortly lived. She pulled back and her face held a curiosity that I really did not want to see right now. "One more thing, what did the skank mean? What was she talking about?" Damn it.

I smirked at her when an idea popped into my head. "If you really want to know, ask Peter." I felt Peter emotionally roll his eyes at me and chuckled under my breath. That's right asshole. You get to tell her all about it. "Victoria has no clue what she was talking about. Char had nothing to do with anything outside of following her own orders. Vicky really does just like to cause problems where there is no need for them." Bella drew her bottom lip into her mouth and scrunched up her face in concentration.

"You're not lying to me are you?"

"Nope. I am being completely honest with you." _For once_. I leaned in and gave her another kiss before jumping off the rail and wrapping her arm around mine. "As much as I would love to keep you to myself for the night, we do have a few things to do still. Just calm down alright? I don't know what has gotten into you today, but it seems to me you're looking for a fight tonight. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine now. I just hate being lied to, but I really hate that fucking redhead."

"Noticed." Mental note, keep them apart or Victoria will get ripped apart.

As we were heading back inside the wind shifted and I caught a faint scent on the wind that was so miniscule that had I not been expecting him I never would have noticed it. I was so caught up with Bella that I didn't even notice the introduction of his emotions. See what I mean, mates are a weakness. That fucker is almost as undetectable as Peter's no scent at all ass. I looked up at the roof and caught him just as he tried to duck out of sight. That mother fucker is going down. I pulled Bella to a stop and when she looked up at me I put a finger to my lips and pointed to the roof. She raised a brow at me and I nodded. She shrugged and crouched next to me and we launched ourselves to the roof and landed on opposite sides of a very surprised vampire.


	21. Chapter 21

Bella landed without making a sound on the balls of her feet and palms of her hands, but when she saw why I wanted to come up here she was immediately defensive and not happy at all. Well, looks like she was going to get her fight after all, and I was not going to stop her this time. Too much energy and quite frankly, I was a bit pissed that he intruded on our private conversation. I knew he wouldn't hurt her, but he would defend himself. It should at least level out her emotions so she would settle the fuck down. I don't know what got her all high strung today but I think it might have to do with the fact that she was provoked and pissed off to the point that the only thing that was going to calm her down was a good fight.

She started growling and the male that was looking at her wide eyed put his hands up in a defensive manner. "I did not mean any harm to you young one, I was…"

"You were eavesdropping and where I came from that is a big fucking no no."

"No, you misunderstand."

I leaned against the chimney and crossed my arms. I said I was not going to stop her. "You are about to get attacked by my mate here, if I were you I would get ready for it, Garrett."

His head whipped around to look at me, "You're really going to allow this?"

"Yup, I think stopping two fights is enough for one night."

Ah, my aggressive, vindictive, little shit. "Rule one fucker, never take your eyes off an unknown opponent." And with those words, she lunged. Garrett didn't have a chance to find decent footing and was knocked down. All the way down to the balcony outside of our suite. I looked over the edge and saw Bella twist herself on top so she landed on top of Garrett and sunk her teeth into his shoulder just below his neck. It was that move that I realized that she was not trying to kill him, but she was going to fuck him up. She jumped off him and let him get to his feet and then shot forward again. I felt his shock at her speed and by the time he was facing her she had her foot square in his chest and kicked him across the space. She crouched and was about to attack again when Peter came out of nowhere and tried to stop her.

From my perch on the roof I yelled down, "Peter! Lay a hand on her and I will rip it off! I am right here watching the whole thing. If it gets too intense I will step in, for now, just enjoy the show." He looked up at me then jumped up next to me. I wasn't really sure what was going on with him, but he didn't seem like he was acting much like himself at the moment either.

"Is there a reason that you are letting her beat the shit out of Garrett?"

"Yup."

"You going to tell me?"

I just looked at him, and shrugged, "Do you want to volunteer to take his place? She needs to get a bit of aggression out and I found Garrett eavesdropping on our conversation. He seemed like a good candidate to get fucked up. She's not trying to kill him, just release some steam." I looked down and saw Garrett start to try to defend himself, but how do you defend yourself against the wind? He growled out in frustration and just let a fist fly and got really fucking lucky as landed it on Bella's cheek. She hit the ground and used the momentum to flip herself to her feet. That's my girl. She shot forward again but at the last second changed her point of impact and took his legs out from under him. She was about to take one off so I took that as my cue. "Baby girl, no trophies. I do need him in one piece." The growl I heard I knew was for me but I just laughed. "Not kidding Darlin'. He is a friend of mine. And not one I particularly want to put back together."

"Well god damn it."

"You don't have to stop, but just keep him in one piece please." She looked up at me with a not too happy look on her face.

"Fine." So instead of ripping off his leg she used her position and kicked him as hard as she could in the nuts making him fly about five feet in the air and making every one of us guys grab ourselves and grimace. We don't feel the pain from that, but it does bring back memories and not pleasant ones. And that was the move I called the game off on.

"Well, I think the first round goes to Bella. Any objections?" There was a chorus of no's so I jumped down from the roof and landed with my feet on either side of Garrett who was still on the ground playing dead. I smirked. "Well, are you ever going to not make yourself known when I am having a private conversation with my mate again?" he shook his head no. "Good." I extended my hand to him and helped him to his feet. "So how about formal introductions. Garrett, this is my mate, Isabella. Bella, this is Garrett. I have known him almost as long as I have been a Vampire. He was in the revolutionary war, and the southern vampire wars as well in an ally army of ours."

Garrett bowed his head in respect to the chick that just kicked his ass. "Miss Bella, it is my most humble pleasure to meet you." You can so tell that he is not used to losing.

Bella walked over and smirked in response. "It sure is. I just kicked your ass." Everyone just looked at her with wide eyes and dropped jaws. God Damn it. But Garrett just laughed.

"You certainly did young one. I would expect no less than the best fighting skills from the Major's mate. You certainly know how to catch someone off guard. It will be such a shame when your speed starts to wean. It must be a valuable asset to have such speed."

Bella looked at me, "I thought if it was going to it would have when my strength did."

Garrett looked quite shocked, "How old are you?"

"She is just under 14 months. Her strength went out the window about 3 months ago, but I still swear she got faster to make up for it."

He grabbed his nuts and Bella's hands flew to her face and she turned in to my chest as he said, "Oh, I assure you, she is still quite strong."

"Nice Garrett. How about using some fucking tact in front of the ladies next time? Jesus Christ." I shook my head and rubbed my hand on Bella's back trying to settle down her giggles. "Shall we get this show on the road finally? I feel like a broken record when it comes to getting this shit started." I lead Bella inside by the small of her back and took my spot back on the couch with her in my lap. I nuzzled my face into her neck and whispered, "So you feel better now?" she nodded and snuggled down into my chest and I wrapped her up nice and tight in my arms. I looked around the room and saw that during our absence everyone else showed up and seemed to find me and my mate the most interesting thing in the world. "Alright, what the fuck are ya'll looking at?" One of the shifters was looking hard at my Bella and it was starting to piss me off. I growled at him, "Something you find interesting mutt?"

He shook his head and looked confused. "Sorry Major, she just looks familiar, like someone I used to know."

Bella's ears perked up and her eyes snapped open and anger started to leak into her emotions again. I looked down at her and smiled. "She should, she was from your part of Washington and hung out with the Olympic coven." His eyes got all wide and I felt longing and lust inter his emotions. Excuse the fuck out of me. "Something to say?"

His eyes were locked on to the side of her red eyes. "Bells?" his response was a not so subtle hiss. This is now the fourth time she has been upset in 2 hours.

I squeezed her a little tighter. I am not going to get mad at her for not liking the dogs. I don't like them either, but they are a great tactical advantage. "Baby girl, you do know you can ignore him, you don't have to hiss at everyone."

She looked up at me with wide eyes. Oh, this should be good. "I don't hiss at everyone. I growled at him." And she pointed to Garrett. Everyone laughed and she just gave me a victorious smile.

I nuzzled her nose, and with a chuckle and a smile of my own, "Smart ass." I looked back at the shifter and smiled at him, "Yes, you got it right. This is my mate Isabella Swan."

His eyes narrowed and his anger started to rise. Mother fucker. "Are you fucking shitting me? You get broken by one bloodsucking leech, and then what; just go running into the arms of the dick that caused the whole thing? Or was he just the first one you found? Are you fucking retarded?"

She was out of my arms and being restrained by Garrett and Peter before he even noticed she moved. "FUCK YOU JACOB! You just can't stand that I am with anyone but you. Do you think I was fucking oblivious to the 'puppy' love crush you had on me? Not a chance. What did you think that just because Edward broke up with me I would jump at the chance to be with you? I DIDN'T LIKE YOU LIKE THAT! You were like the annoying little brother that you really want to hate, but you can't. Could you not take the hint when I moved after you started to really push for a relationship that I didn't want one with you? I put up with you because our dads were friends and my dad asked me to, not because I really wanted to. You were never even my type."

"Why? Because I have a pulse?"

She lowered her head and voice, "Want that situation to change? Everyone knows that only a temporary state, easily rectified when we meet our fate." Then she smirked and her emotions changed. "Plus, I prefer the guy I fuck to be as hard as a rock." She crossed her arms and waited for the rebuttal though I doubt she would be able to hear it with every other person in the room in an uproar. Peter was laughing so hard that he was on the ground as was Garrett and half the other pack members. The girls were using each other to stay upright. James was pointing and laughing at the look on the mutts face, and I was sitting there in my spot biting the inside of my cheek with my eyes closed trying to keep at least a look of composure.

When he regained his voice, "You think being a bottom feeding corpse is a good thing?"

"Actually, I am usually on top when I eat." And that set off the vampires again.

"No good fucking bloodsucker."

"Mongrel."

"Leach"

"Flea bag"

"Scar face!"

"Oh! I love that movie! And I don't have a single scar on my face."

"No, just everywhere else."

"At least I don't turn into a giant fur ball that smells like a wet dog rolled in vomit and then went dumpster diving." The room erupted into applause with that statement. For years we have been trying to figure out how to describe the smell and that is about as close as you can get.

"At least when I eat no one dies."

"You're right, but you sure as hell give pigs a bad name."

"What happened to you? You used to be such a good person. You know there is another way to live, yet you choose not to. The Bella I know would never do the kind of things you do."

"News flash, the Bella you know is DEAD."

He rounded on me and pointed a finger in my face. "What have you done to her? Why couldn't you just leave her human?"

I put my hand up and ticked off on my fingers how many ways he was wrong. "One, I didn't turn her. Two, she would have had to die or turn when the rulers of our world found out that human knew of our existence anyways. Three, I didn't do jack shit to her. The person you see before you is a product of a year in war. It tends to change a person. Four, what I had to do with has saved her life countless times. I trained to her fight myself. Other than me, she is the most lethal vampire in the world. And five, just for shits and giggles, I took her for my mate, so watch yourself before I check you into next fucking week dog. You know of nothing you are talking about, so I highly suggest that you stop before you find yourself in a situation you can't get out of."

"You took her for a mate for shits and giggles? That's the most fucked up thing I have ever heard."

Bella looked at him with shock in her eyes, "I think the only thing that out does your horrid smell is you lack of brain power. You have to be the dumbest mother fucker in the world if you think he was serious."

"Then why?"

Garrett stepped in and brought the whole thing to an end. "Who answers to whom here? You are nothing in comparison to the Major and I think that it is time for you to knock it off. Mr. Jacob, you are outnumbered 3 to 1 in the vampire vs. shifters right now. The reason that the Major took Miss Bella is no one's business but their own. Miss Bella is happy and in love. If you were her friend in another life, I would think that you would be not only happy that she is happy, but that she is indeed alive after thinking she was dead for so long."

"Can it leach, I would rather she was dead than a bloodsucking monster."

With no one restraining her, she had no one to stop her from slamming his ass into a wall and getting in his face. She growled and snapped her teeth mere millimeters from his nose. When she spoke, I could feel the air change with the amount of hate and malice in her voice. "Wanna see just what kind of monster I can be? You are nothing to me now, just like you were nothing to me then. You have been nothing but a pain in my ass since I went to live with Charlie because you nose have been a permanent fixture there for way to fucking long. If you open your mouth again, I will not hesitate to knock your fucking teeth down your goddamn throat. You think they will grow back as fast as your bones do?"

He looked at her with wide eyes and nothing but fear in them. He was on the verge of taking a piss in front of everyone in the room and you could tell that Bella could give a fuck. She was ready to make good on her promise and everyone fucking new it. He blinked a few times, took a deep breath and asked the question that even I was sort of curious about. "What would Charlie think of you know?"

A slow smile graced her lips making her look even more evil than her emotions said. She looked like a true vampire right now and Jesus fuck, it was sexy. The only thing that would have made the picture perfect was if you could see a fang when her teeth showed. "What would Charlie think of me now? Charlie would hate me. Charlie would have lost all respect for me because of the choices I have made in my life, both in life and in death. Charlie would have disowned me the moment he found out that I spent 6 years lying to him before he died. My father would roll over in his grave if he knew what his daughter has become."

"And that means nothing to you? If you know all that then why are you smiling?"

A chuckle that has no business coming from my mate was heard around the room and it put everyone on edge. I stood up and Peter, Garrett, and I made our way over to her but not fast enough to distract her from her target. She dropped her head and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and chuckled again. "You know, I can smell your fear. I have never smelled anything that has ever smelled as wonderful to me. Yes, I know all that and it kills me inside. But," she opened her eyes and looked up at him but didn't lift her head. "You opened your mouth." Faster than lightning she drew her hand back and shot it forward and landed a hard and fully solid punch right to the front of his mouth. The howl of pain that came from his would put any scream heard due to the change to shame.

It was a natural reaction for a shifter to explode into a furry flea bag when directly attacked by a vampire. Bella jumped out of the way right before Jacob's front paw shot out right where she was standing. She rolled when she hit the ground and stopped in a crouch waiting for him to jump at her. When he did I was ready. He lunged for her but was met by me standing in front of her in a protective manner. I knew she could handle it, but I have been looking for a reason to fuck him up, and now I had my reason. I grabbed his head and kneed him under his muzzle making his head snap back and fly a few feet back before landing on his back. He was up a second later, but two other members of his pack had shifted to and blocked his path. He was growling and snarling, biting at the air. He was pissed. I smirked at him and Bella just gave him the finger. Jake was flanked by his pack and Bella and I were flanked by the other vampires. Things could really get out of hand fast if things didn't settle down, but that was not even a thought in my head to make happen. Our natural enemy had attacked my mate and I was not just going to sit back and allow that shit to go down. That fucking mutt would get his comeuppance, but right now was not the time and fuck it all; we still have not even started to talk about why there were even here.

Bella stood from her crouch and crossed her arms and arched her eyebrow. I guess she was not done yet. "You think you have a reason to be nine kinds of pissed off right now? I warned you to shut it. I told you what would happen if you didn't shut it. You brought it all on yourself dip shit." She dropped her arms, her fingers turning into claws and she was kinda hunched over with her head down. It was a posture that not a lot of people saw and lived to tell about it. It was the posture of a vampire out to kill. And a vampire out to kill hardly ever loses. She took a half step forward putting her dead in line with me. I was standing at my full height, feet shoulder width apart. I looked down but she didn't even look like she knew I was there.

Chances are she didn't.

When we get like this, it's a tunnel vision. She was seeing nothing but her target and what ever stood between her and him. Her eyes were black, but not the whites like usual. She was pissed, but still in control of her actions; for the time being anyways. She looked him dead in the eyes and that demonic smile was back as well as the voice she used when she killed Edward and Alice. "If you ever, and I do mean fucking EVER say my father's name in my presence again, no one will stop me from making that the last thing you ever say. If you understand, bark like the fucking dog you are." He barred his teeth and so did she.

She was fighting a losing battle right now with her temper. It was a very explosive thing and I knew if she lost it now, with as angry as she is, there would be no stopping her till there was nothing left of her target. Even with as strong as my gift is and what all I can do to you with it, if there is no rational thought going into the emotions you feel, I can't change your mind. I can change the emotions, but no thought when I start means no thought when I am done. It's a bitch. I think it is about time I explain all this to Bella. I have not really been all that forth coming with shit about me other than my past. Time to rectify that.

I took a chance and reached out and put my hand on her shoulder. I say took a chance because she could very well take it like an attack and turn on me. She was my mate, but she felt threatened and anything could be misconstrued in her mind and lost in translation. With the contact I looked into her emotions to make sure she was in at least a little control before I go and fuck with her. If she wanted to kill the dog, she could do AFTER he served his purpose. I felt rage, hate, wrath, vengeance, anger. There was a little fear there; not much, but enough to tell me that she was still thinking with her mind and not her instincts. She would fear nothing if that was the case. Through the contact I had with her I let peaceful emotions flow freely from me to her and everyone sighed in relief when she visibly relaxed. She relaxed but she was still pissed. Her eyes shifted to look at me for a second before she looked at the floor. I put my hand under her chin and turned her face to look at me. I cleared my throat and her eyes locked with mine. She was nervous and a little scared. I smiled at and shook my head. "I am beginning to think that I am going to have to take you outside to a secluded place and personally fight with you. You have been on edge all fucking night and I am beginning to think you won't be happy till you rip something apart. I have never seen you so high strung." She looked away and sighed.

"Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. I hate the fucking dog as well. Speaking of which." I turned my head to look at him. "I do believe that Bella gave you an order. They are as good as mine are. Now, dog, speak." He looked at me and I could see the hate in his eyes, but he barked his understanding to what Bella had said and turned to walk away and just plopped down not even bothering to change back to his human form. I looked behind me and saw the males in offensive and the females in defensive crouches ready to do their jobs. I waved them off and walked to the bar with Bella in tow.

When we got there I poured her and I a shot of Jack before hopping up and sitting down and taking Bella in the same position I had her in when Peter told her about my coven. There was no getting her to cool her jets now, so might as well let her get drunk then take her outside and let her fuck some shit up before I fight with her. I am not afraid that she was going to get the best of me, but I know how she fights; hard and dirty and I am not a fucking idiot. When I was situated I handed her the bottle, kissed her neck then looked at the members of my coven and guard. "Well, if anyone else would like to piss off my mate, I suggest that it wait till tomorrow."

Everyone just nodded and a few of them gulped making me chuckle. "Now, I want to get to why I have asked just the few of you that are here to come here. There is a problem with in our world and I think that it is time to fix it. I am talking of course, about our self proclaimed rulers. They are getting far too comfortable and overstepping their bounds. I asked only the few of you to come here, because you are the only ones that I can trust fully."

Mark, a vampire that Garrett turned about 50 years ago with the ability to freeze vampires in their place raised his hand. "You want to take out the Volturi? I am sorry Major, but that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

"You are entitled to your opinion Mark, but I didn't ask for it. I am not talking about killing all of them. Some of them are friends of mine and have agreed to help when the time comes. I am however talking about taking out the 'three kings' as they like to call themselves. Aro has expresses interest in my mate and I will not take that shit lying down. They have taken our world and made it what they wanted it to be and I am done with it. We are the dominate in this world and I am tired of hiding." There was a collective gasp in the room and Bella found it funny. I looked at the bottle in her hand and found the new bottle half empty. Fucking hell, she is trashed.

James spoke up this time. "You want to make ourselves known to the humans?"

"You don't? Think about it, we have been hiding in the shadows and in nightmares for eons. We have been around just as long as them. We have just as much of a claim on the planet as the humans do. We have just as much of a right to walk down the street on a sunny day as they do, perhaps more so. Why should we have to freeze in the dark when they get to bask in the sunlight? Because we look like a fucking disco ball? So fucking what. We are no different than they are in a lot of aspects. Also, we are better than them in a lot of way too, and I am not talking about the obvious. We kill to survive. They kill for stupid shit." Aww, my fucking drunk little mate.

"Like T.V.s and drugs. They kill, rape, and defile their own kind some for no other reason than they are bored." She turned her head to look at me with the cutest smile I have ever seen. She was proud of herself that she remembered what I said all that time ago. I shook my head and kissed her on the forehead.

I looked back at the room and saw everyone looking at her with amusement. "I told her that when she first woke up to get her alright with killing humans. However, it works here too, even if it was said by someone as drunk as a skunk. I am tired of having to hide what I am, and I know that most of you are as well. The vampire race did just fine before the fuckers started to tell us what we can and cannot do, and they will again."

"What about the wars in the south? If they have no one to keep an eye on that shit, shit could really hit the fan."

I laughed out loud. "I have full control over that. Don't worry about it. Maria might think that she pulls the strings, but everyone knows that I do and I have trained the most dangerous army down there. The southern wars will be coming to an end here soon. I do not have a vision of peace, nor do I think that is even a possibility. Vampires are destructive, we thrive on it, but I do and a vision of having free rein over our own lives. I am sick of being told what to do from overseas." Peter, you fucker.

"Like you even know what that is like. You don't listen to anyone now, it's not like that killing the royals will change that."

"You're right. It won't, but it will make it to where I am not the one with the balls to do whatever I want."

Bella looked out over the room. She set the bottle down and laced her fingers together before dropping her hands in front of her. This should be good. When she started talking her words were slurring together "Look, I know that I am the newest and youngest vampire here, but I knew some when I was a human. I dated one that recently passed on to whatever awaits us after death." She giggled a bit at that. "Anyways, I hated that him and his family had to hide when it was a nice day outside. I hated that I could not enjoy the sun with them in public. I hated that there were things that they could do to save a human life that was needlessly lost because they were trapped in the shadows. Now I hate that I have to be the one that hides. I have come to grips that I am a killer, the best one ever created."

She pulled away from me and walked to the balcony doors, all eyes on her. She opened them and turned back to the room and put her arm to the side and waved it over the city. "Right now I can hear people dying in the streets and being raped in allies, but because the sun is getting ready to rise, there is nothing to be done to stop it or even try. We kill the humans responsible for the pain. Every time we feed, we save a life by taking another. If the humans should fear anything, it should be their own kind, not us. We might me soulless killers, we might be what their nightmares are made of, but I am here to tell you that those young girls that are being hurt right now, they have a new nightmare. And it is not even in their sleep that they see it. It will be in that face of every man she sees for the rest of her life. It will be there every time she blinks; it will be there when ever she finds herself alone. We could have saved her from that. There are families that will never see a member of it again because they are lying in a pool of their own blood. The next time they see him or her it will be to identify the body to put it to rest. We could have stopped it before it happened. But the laws that are in place now restrict what we are able to do by our very nature. We were all human once; we all have a part of that still with us."

She looked at James and pursed her lips. "Well, some of us. Anyways, all I am saying is, would it be such a bad thing for the evils of the world to know that there is something out there that is far worse than them? Would it be such a bad thing for the humans to know that they don't have to fear them anymore? And would it be such a bad thing to be able to lie in the grass at a park at high noon and soak up the warmth that our own bodies deny us?" Everyone just stared at her for a second with wide eyes and jaws on the floor before breaking out into a round of cheers and applause. Well, looks like Peter was right about her. She really is going to be the penical of operation. He looked over at me and winked. I knew what it meant, she won them over. Now we just have to start working on the plan to make it happen.


	22. Chapter 22

"So, is everyone clear on the plan?" There was a loud 'sir, yes sir' around the room that made Bella laugh. She tried to keep it to a giggle, but after her little speech and polishing off the bottle of jack, she found everything funny, and was unable to keep it down. She had found her way back to my arms after the drunken speech she gave so I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "And what is so funny?" She looked up at me with a wide teeth filled smile and shook her head. I kissed her forehead and chuckled when I felt her lust go through the roof. Yes, Bella is a very horny drunk. She once told me that Jack was her best friend and has a hard time getting pissed off when he came over. But when Jose' was out, people got hurt. I always found it funny how she talked about the different kinds of alcohol she drank like they were people, but I guess if you think about it, it made since. Whiskey makes her a frisky little thing, and now that she has a whole bottle in her, I can only imagine what her head is going to come up with. I can feel in her emotions that the wheels are turning, but I can't find any malice in her, but the humor is up there.

She turned to look at the room and I could tell when she picked her target. She got a shit eating grin on her face that reminded me of Peter when he was getting ready to fuck with me. Well, here we go. She was looking at James when she started talking. "James, I have a question for you." He looked at her and waved his hand for her to continue. He had a smile on his face so he knew that she wanted to play. "Have you ever heard the song Icky Vicky?"

And the room went silent.

He had a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. He made a show of looking like he was thinking about it for a second before he responded "No, I don't think I have Miss Bella. What is it?

"Well, it was a song on a cartoon I saw when I was a human called 'the fairly oddparents'. It was about the babysitter that the little boy had because his parents always went out. It was the reason for the fairy godparents in the first place. Anyways, the song is all about how the babysitter, whose name was Vicky by the way, was all kinds of a bad apple because you can't call someone a bitch on a kids show. Good song. You should listen to it sometime. Real eye opener." And she ended with a straight face and a wink.

James laughed at her and nodded. "I'm sure it is Miss Bella." Victoria was just looking at him like he grew a second head and then turned her head to look at Bella who just smiled at her.

"What? I was just trying to look out for the guy. Don't get your fucking panties in a twist. Jesus." And rolled her eyes. Yes, she wanted to play, but I think she wanted another piece of Victoria while she was at it. Her emotions were settled and she was in a good mood, but it wouldn't last if someone stepped out of a line that she set up in her head. Victoria went to say something but James clasped his hand over her mouth and shook his head telling her to keep her fucking mouth shut. Victoria's eyes narrowed and Bella gave her the biggest 'fuck you' smile I have ever seen.

I put my lips next to Bella's ear, "Baby girl, let's not cause any more damage to the room tonight alright? Well, at least not with a fight." She shivered, nodded and kissed me on the cheek before pulling herself from my arms and skipped over to Garrett who went back to talking to Peter and Mark.

"Hey Garrett." He actually jumped when she spoke. You can't hear her coming if she doesn't want you to.

He rounded on her with a hiss that was quickly swallowed when he saw who it was. "Hello Miss Bella. I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your little speech earlier. It was quite the inspiration." Peter snorted something that sounded like 'good save' to which Garrett gave him the finger while he continues to smile at Bella.

"Well thank you Garrett. An old fuck like you should find it refreshing to see someone so young acting beyond their years for the greater good, yes?"

He narrowed his eyes in a playful way while Peter bit into his index finger to keep from laughing. "Very. Was there something you wanted Miss Bella?"

She crossed her arms behind her back and nodded. "Yes, I wanted to ask how your dingle berries were feeling. I do hope I didn't cause any lasting damage." Garrett just looked at her with wide eyes as Peter and Mark lost it. She gave him a full 30 seconds before she started to get annoyed. "I don't think that I kicked you hard enough for you to forget your manners. I asked you a question that I was expecting an answer to."

He snapped out of it and shook his head. "My apologies. It is just the time I came from; a lady would never ask such a thing."

She smiled at him and put her hand to mouth before stage whispering "If you have not figured to out, I am no lady. I say fuck, a lot. A lady does not say fuck. Nor would one kick a guy in the dick." Then she put her hands up, palms forward, "Just saying. But really, how are you man bits feeling?"

"Both have return to their original positions, so all is well."

She tilted her head to the side with a very fake confused look, "Is that like ancient way to say 'my nuts are fine'?" I know that Garrett would be beet red if it was possible.

"I am fine. Thank you for asking."

"When you said they returned to their previous positions, does that mean they retracted back inside? Like before they dropped in the first place?" Garrett looked horrified and everyone in the room was having a good laugh. I was leaning on the bar with my arms crossed enjoying the show. Not even Peter picked Garrett to pick on. This was priceless. I saw someone with their phone out recording this. I will have to remember to ask for a copy.

He looked at me and I shook my head. So not getting in the middle of this. He looked back at her and said the only thing I think he could at this point. "Is that really a concern of yours?"

Her voice was firm and true. "Yes. I did it so I want to make sure I will not be the cause of you not ever getting your rock off with another vampire again. As much as a good old fashion 'do it yourself' can be, to not get laid for the rest of one's life would be a fate worse than death." Then her eyes went wide and real horror entered her emotions. I was concerned for a fraction of a second before I burst into laugher. "You won't have to go through puberty again will you?"

"MISS BELLA! That was hardly called for!"

"It is though! If I stole your manhood than this is awful! Please tell me they will drop again without your voice cracking, because let's be honest, a vampire going through puberty would be the funniest fucking thing ever and I would hate to think that I had anything to do with you getting laughed at for the decade it would take for you to get through it."

Garrett reached the end of his rope and did something that I didn't think that he would ever do. He undid the zipper to his pants, grabbed his dick, whipped it out and showed Bella his nut sack. "There! You see, everything is perfectly well with my 'man bits'. So you can stop with the questions!" Oh, you should not have given her more ammo there chief. I think he was just trying to do something to get her to leave him alone, but he does not know Bella when she is drunk.

She bent down and got real close. I had no clue what she was doing. She inspected them like a doctor would, even going as far as grabbing them. I had to bite back my growl. My mate should NEVER touch another man's anything. She tilted her head to the side before standing up and looking him dead in the eyes, "Well, I guess that the change does not work the same for everyone. Get used to this phrase, "are you in."

Then she turned around and started walking back towards me before stopping and turning her head back to him, "By the way, I only felt one nut. The other should drop, but I would talk in a whisper. Wouldn't want your voice to crack." She giggled when he growled and dove behind me with a yelp when she heard the horrified roar about the fact that he was standing there in a room full of people with his dick in his hand. Everyone, even the mutts, were laughing so hard that the windows shook. Bella hopped up on the bar in a crouch, put her arms around my shoulders, put her chin on her arm and whispered in my ear, "Perhaps I took that a bit too far?"

I snorted. "Ya think? That was not a very smart thing to do Darlin'. There is a reason that not even Peter will fuck with Garrett."

She huffed like I told her no cookies til she was done with her homework. "Well, if he would have just answered me, then he would not be standing there with his hand in the cookie jar. I gave him plenty of chances, and I don't remember asking to SEE if he was fine, I would have taken his word for it."

"He did say he was fine darlin'."

She leaned back and crossed her arms. "Not the way I wanted him to though. If we are going to be changing everything that the vampire world has known, than individuals need to be able to change as well, or this is never going to work." I could see her point. "They need to keep up with the times and change as the technologies do. When the humans find out that we exist, they are going to look for ways to destroy us and if the stubborn fuckers won't step out of the times they were changed, then they will be able to do just that." Again, valid points.

I turned to face her and put my hands on her thighs. "Why is it you can think like this three sheets to the wind, but not when sober?"

She looked slightly hurt by that. "I do, but I can hardly get a word in when you are all tactical and shit. I know that your mind is made for it, but so is mine. You never listen to me in meetings and planning circles." She looked in my eyes and her were slightly glossy. "I know I am not your equal or whatever, but you did train me, and I do have good ideas and stuff. Not to mention, I am the youngest vampire here, which means I was the soonest to be human, I know more about the human race than you do. You know vampires, I know humans." Well fuck me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath letting it out slowly as I thought over what she just said. "Alright Baby girl, let's see what you got shall we?" I turned to the room and barked, "Everyone, get the fuck out." They all turned to me with confusion. "I didn't fucking stutter. I said get the fuck OUT!" There was a mad dash for the elevator and as Peter and Char got on, "Captain, you two stay." They looked out of sorts for a second before coming back inside. The doors closed and I waited a moment for them to get past the point of hearing what was going on. "Alright, my baby girl here has made some valid points. I want to run them by you and see what you think." Peter looked at her and I felt a hint of pride. Hmm, something to look to later. "It seems that she does not think that we can do this."

She looked at me with a look of disdain, "That's not what I said. I said they need to keep up with the times and change as the technologies do. When the humans find out that we exists, they are going to look for ways to destroy us and if the stubborn fuckers won't step out of the times they were changed, then they will be able to do just that. I am all for walking down the street on a sunny day, but the risk that the humans pose is far too great if the older fuckers won't even learn to use a fucking cell phone. Look at the Romanians. They sit in a castle and act like the vampires of myth. The Italians do the same, but have their meals brought to them under the pretense of a castle tour. Humans want to be kept in the dark. Need to know if you will." She looked right at me for the next comment. "And we all know how you like need to know. So this should not be a difficult task for you. Humans as a whole like to be coddled. They want to feel protected without being in your face about it."

Peter thought about that for a second. "That's a good point. What do you think we should do?" he was looking at me and I shook my head.

"Bella is running this show. Ask her."

He turned to her with a smirk on his face. "Well, Miss Bella, what should we do?"

She rolled her eyes and snorted. Yeah, she's still trashed "A coming out party." We all looked at her like she was nuts. "Hear me out. In order to get the support we need, we need to have the human world leaders on our side. After we take out the ruling force of our world, we have a huge party, and invite the important humans to it. If we can get their backing than we have an in. The thing to keep in mind is we need to come off to them as civilized. That means no newborns. AT ALL. Humans of smaller countries will follow their leaders like cattle to the slaughter. Others are just too scared to go against them. We show them that the majority of our kind just wants a peaceful existence. That they keep to themselves and only kill to survive. We end the shit in the south and point is proven." She crossed her arms and smirked. She knew she had us hanging on every word.

I looked at Peter and Char and they had huge smiles on their faces. "Well, what do you two think? Did she pass?"

Peter looked at me and clasped me on the back. "Well, she made some valid points, has a solid plan in place, and made a stab at you. I say A+." Fucker. I shrugged his hand away and crossed my arms and with a smile on my face, turned to my beaming mate.

"Well Isabella, I was wrong about you. Maybe, just maybe, if you can pull it off, we are on more equal footing than I thought. But planning is only half the battle my love, the execution is where you need to shine."

"If I can convince you and your little band of merry men, I think I can convince anyone of just about anything."

"Well, you know where I stand. And tomorrow when we reconvene with the others, we will just see what kind of convincing you can do." I felt her shock as she lost a bit of her buzz.

"The others? No, no Jazz I can't do that. You have to." I love it when she calls me that.

"Bella, Darlin', yes you can. You wanted to be heard and you were. I like what you had to say. The thing is, I won't take credit for an idea that was not mine. Whenever Peter comes up with something before me, it's his pitch to Maria."

"But..."

Char stepped up this time. "Miss Bella, you need to understand it's a pride thing. You have a better insight to the human thought process because you have the youngest vampire mind. The Major can come up with any and all military ideas before anyone else, but you beat him at this. You know something he does not. You're his mate, he is proud of you. And he wants to show you off to his coven."

I snorted. "No, I want to rub her in their faces because I have a fucktastic mate. She has a strategic mind that I sometimes forget about, but has it none the less, and she is a lethal fighter." I pulled Bella into my arms and kissed her nose. "I have the perfect mate; that is what I want to show off. Quiet and submissive when she needs to be, and fiercely outgoing when she has to be."

Peter joined in then. "Isabella, you have all the backing you need. The only opinion that matters is Jasper's. Those that follow him do it for different reasons, but we all have one thing in common, we are all loyal to him to a fault. What he says goes. You have to come to grips with this one little fact. Jasper is called a god for a reason. No one can stand against him and win, the whole vampire world knows this. They talk a big game, but when it comes right down to it, they pussy out and run like a bitch. Did he ever tell you how he got the name God of War, or just that he got it?"

I could feel Bella's fear. "I don't really care how he got it. That is not the point here asshole! I can't, I mean, I am not that great of a public speaker."

"Bull shit. You had the whole room ready to run out in the sunlight with the little speech you made."

"Yeah, while I was FUCKING TRASHED! Who is going to take me seriously if I can't even talk to a room of people unless I kill a bottle of Jack before hand?"

We all looked at Peter. He started this and that was a great point. He was started to get a little miffed. "Then get trashed again. Do you know how long it took Jasper to do his job sober? Having to need a ton of liquid courage is nothing to be ashamed of." Bella looked up at me and I shrugged. It was true. I was drunk for the better part of seven decades. Straight. Coincidently, it was during that time I got my nickname. When you are on a seventy year drinking binge, you tend to not give a shit about ANYTHING.

"He has a point Baby Girl, if you care what people think, than you will fail at everything in the vampire world. If you want to do something, you look them in the eyes, tell them to fuck off, and tell them what they are going to do. Don't leave room for questions or arguments. Even if you're drunk when you do it. Alcohol on your breath is really the least of your worries when people are relying on you to do something. You want to be equal to a male in a male dominated culture, Right? Then act like it."

She looked into my eyes and scrunched up her brows again. She is so fucking cute when she is confused. "How do I do that?"

"Well, remember the room when you first woke up and everything I told you not to do in the presence of others?" She nodded. "Forget it and do just that. You have a very strong personality. Use it."

"So you can rip my hands off for disrespecting you in front of others. I think not."

"I didn't tell you to do that. I am simply telling you to act like yourself. You get more respect for that than you will any other way. And if you piss any one off and they have something to say about it, they will be taking that up with me."

"But, come on Jazz, you can't be serious."

"I am darlin'. I want you to stand up for your ideas. Just like you did with me earlier. You made your point, you have a plan, now all you have to do is follow through with it. But enough of this for now. Everyone will be coming back in 12 hours. What do you want to do until then?"


	23. Chapter 23

**BPOV**

I knew that I was being a pain in the ass, but at this point I didn't care. I did not want to do this; I did not want to have to talk to anyone about my ideas. They are mine and I have a thing against sharing. But no, fucking Jasper is not giving me a choice. I should have kept my god damn mouth shut.

"Bella, Darlin', you need to settle down." And there is the fucker in question.

My eyes, I swear, have a mind of their own. They narrowed on their own accord and I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "I CAN'T calm down thanks to you."

He actually looked a bit taken back. "Me? What the hell did I do?"

I tried not to, but again with a mind of their own, my eyes rolled. "You're not serious right? You don't know? This fucking meeting! You know that I don't want any part of it. You know I don't want to stand there and tell century old fuck nuts that they are retarded and that they have to change their ways! You seem to think I have a fucking death wish, when in actuality; I just want to go home."

He walked over to me and put his hands on my shoulders. "Baby girl, listen to me. You can do this. I have all the faith in the world in you. You were made for this." It might be the massive amount of booze that I have in me right now, but that seemed to me like there was a deeper meaning to that.

I looked away from him and bit my bottom lip. My eyes locked with his, but I didn't move my head, "What do you mean 'I was made for this'?" his eyes widened a little and he started to stutter. I stepped back and crossed my arms. "Jasper, you said you would never lie to me. I asked you a question; what did you mean?"

He sighed, "Bella, this is one of those things that is better to just let lie, trust me. It was a long time ago and there is nothing that can change anything that happened. Let it go."

I growled, "No. I want to know, if you want me to trust you, then give me a fucking reason to. All you ever do is sidestep, avoid, or force me to let it go and I'm so fucking sick of it! If you did something wrong, it's better to fess up to it and face whatever you have to for it, than it is for it to sit in your gut and eat away at you till you're nothing but a festering glob of grossness."

"THAT'S JUST IT! It was nothing **I** did, but I will be the one blamed for it."

My jaw dropped and my eyes, the little fuckers, went wide. I did a fantastic impression of a fish if I do say so myself. When I found my voice, it was not but a whisper and full of disbelief. "You're scared."

He scrubbed his hands up and down his face, "Terrified. Look, things are finally working out for us, forgive me if I don't want fuck that up."

I gave him an incredulous look. "How the fuck do you think that? Jazz if things were working out, I would not be pissed off right now and trying to get my ass together for a meeting that I want no part of because you would have listened to me and let me sit this one out. I mean, it's not like anything that I have come up with can even be done until after the fight with the Volturi. Think about it, everything in my plan has to do with being successful on that front first. I just think that it should wait until after so we knew if it is a moot point or not. There are far more important things to worry about and do before I get to plan a party for the ages."

He dropped his hands and looked me dead in the eyes with a smirk on his face. "You really do have a way with words, ya know that?"

I giggled. "So I have been told." I hopped up on the bar, grabbed my drink, and looked back at him, "Now, what are you scared of? If it was so far in the past for you to think that nothing can be done about it, than what is there to be scared of? If it was nothing you did as you claim, than I don't see what is to be terrified about. I love you Jazz, nothing is going to change that. So let's use this time to clean out your closet, shall we?"

He made himself a drink and jumped up next to me. He started to talk without looking at me. "You being bitten and changed was planned out to the 't'. He swears that he did not know that you were the Bella I told him about when I met up with him after I left the Cullen coven."

I shrugged. "That does not seem that bad, at least not for you to be scared. Peter is a strategizer. Plus he said that he didn't know."

"You would think that, but no, you're wrong."

"Wrong how? I changed a lot from who I was when I knew your coven to when Peter found me in that bar. Five years will do that to someone Jazz."

"Yes, it will, but I am not done. The real reason that he changes you was so I would not kill myself. He changed you so that I would take you as my mate. His words were 'you gave me my mate, it is only right that I give you yours."

I froze. I let that sink in and I could not wrap my mind around it. "He changed me, because of you? He killed me so you wouldn't kill yourself? He stole my life because you were fucked up enough to not give a flying fuck about your own? Is that about right?"

He gulped, "Yeah, that about covers it. But I didn't know any of this till recently."

I jumped off the bar and rounded on him. "What's recently Jasper? Was it before this moment? Was it yesterday and this was the soonest you found the time to tell me?" he shook his head. "I thought not." That was when it hit me and I went rigid. My eyes locked with his and in a level voice, "This was the need to know crap from yesterday wasn't it?" he closed his eyes and nodded. "You didn't think that something like that, something that had to do with me was not something I NEEDED TO KNOW!" It was at that point that the elevator doors opened and the fucker himself walked into the room. I spun on my heel and looked, pardon the phrase, dead at him and screamed, "I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU SELFISH PIECE SHIT!"

And faster than Jasper could stop me I launched myself at Peter and slammed him into the wall with my hand around his throat with such force that I left a Peter shaped hole and rattled the pictures making some of them fall and shatter on the floor along with the bag of bar replacements he had. "WHY! HOW? HOW THE _FUCK_ COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME AND LOOK IN THE _GODDAMN_ MIRROR!"

Jasper came forward and called out, "Bella, come on now, you need to…"

My head snapped to look at him and I know I had murder clearly written in the onyx of my eyes and a snarl ripping free, "I need to what? Sit back and do nothing about this?" I looked back at Peter and looked him straight in the eyes, "He KILLED me for his own selfish reasons. I think it's only fair I get the same privilege." Peter grabbed the wrist that I held him with and tried to pry it off him, so I tightened my grip and growled, "Move my hand and your head comes with it. Answer me damn it! Why?"

"Would you not have done whatever was necessary to save the life of someone you cared about?"

I punched him; I did, as hard as I could in the mouth. "Not at the cost of someone else's!"

He put his hands on my shoulders and shoved me back. I didn't take his head, but I think I made a valiant effort. "What life! Day in and day out all you did was work, sleep and avoid contact with anyone that you did not absolutely have to see. So what if you didn't want this life. None of us ever do, but I gave you a piece of yourself back, I gave you a protector, I gave you a life that is actually worth living and at the same time I saved the life of my brother. What part of that was wrong?"

"ALL OF IT! Months of getting my ass kick for being myself, months of fighting to keep the life you seem to think that I should be oh so grateful for. Fuck that and fuck you. You can try and justify it all you like but this is so far past fucked up. There were reasons that I avoided people like the plague you fucking moron, but did you think about that you stupid son of a bitch!? And while we are cleaning out your fucking closet, what part of my life do you think you give me back?" He looked at me like I was the one in the wrong, but also looked at a loss of how to respond to my question. "That's what the fuck I thought. This life gives you NOTHING and it takes EVERYTHING!"

"Do you not have someone to stand at your side and…?"

I know better than to cut certain people off but at this point I really do not give a damn. "Fuck no I don't and you fucking know that! I have someone to stand IN FRONT of me, to keep me safe. My nose scrunched up and my voice turned mocking. "I am the mate of the great and powerful God of War, the mate of the scariest fucker on the planet. And guess what, I get to stand in his shadow for the rest of fucking eternity because you just had to put aside what everyone wanted and be a self-serving prick. Jasper didn't want a mate, I didn't want to be a vampire, but you just had to get involved in shit that had nothing to do with you!

"None of that MATTERED!"

And with that I lost it. I felt something in me snap and I charged again and took him to the ground and proceeded to beat the fuck out of him. What I didn't know was during the epic beat down of an officer, Garrett, James, Victoria, and Jake had also come in. I could vaguely hear Charlotte yelling for me to quit, but I was so far passed pissed off that I didn't care. I had but one thought in my mind and that was to kill the fucker. It was not until I went to bite his neck that everyone snapped out of the shocked stupor that they were in and jumped into action.

Jasper put his forearm in the path of my teeth to take the bite opposed to Peter's jugular vein, and it was deep. My teeth sank into the gums. He then got behind me before I could let go of him and bite Peter and pulled back lodging his arm in my jaw by locking his arm around my head. Garrett helped him get my arms behind my back and into the iron grip of Jasper's other hand. Then he ripped me off Peter and pushed me to my knees and placed his right shin with most of his weight on the back of my calves so I could not use my legs to try and get loose; however my toes were still bent and on the ground.

My eyes were still locked on Peter as he slowly sat up. The more he moved the more pissed I got, the louder my growls got, the harder I bit Jasper's arm and the more I fought to get free. I was going to kill him; that was the only thing I could think of. All that I saw was his death, but there was a part of me, an almost nonexistent part at this point, but a part none the less that might not have wanted him dead. Fuck it; it's a moot point now.

 **JPOV**

I couldn't believe this. I knew that she would take the news badly, that's why I didn't want to tell her the reason behind her change. I also knew what she was actually capable of doing to someone, but I didn't know that the one that she was going to attack was Peter. I can stand against her and live to tell the tale, but, even though he is a seasoned killer, Peter was no match for her because he was her sire. Case in point, right now. He is struggling to sit up and has huge gashes on his neck and chest that are leaking venom like a river, while she was no worse for the wear.

So now, I had to process the situation, and let me tell ya, I do not really like it. My mate's teeth are lodged in my arm, and the only reason she has not bitten it off is because her teeth are stuck in the bone and our teeth are not strong enough to bite through vampire bone. The only plus side is with the contact I can get a full taste of her emotions; the rawness of them. So that's what I busied myself with. I needed to know what, if anything, I could do to fix this and bring my mate back without her getting the blood that she was looking for. I looked for anything she had other than murder.

My jaw set and my eyes narrowed with the effort that I was putting into this. Newborns that this happens to are put down because they are so far gone that there was no bringing them back and I refused to even consider that an option for my mate. Mother fucker it hurts. With the rage, her glands are working overtime and just following her teeth. Something that is not common knowledge among my kind is that you can be killed if injected with enough venom from another vampire. All it takes is injecting enough to overpower their own. However, a mate cannot kill a mate this way because they share the same venom to a degree. The female's changes when mixed with the male's so they are the same but different. I don't know if that will make sense to anyone that is not a mated vampire, but to dumb it down, the female shares the male's venom, so there is no way to overload either one with enough to kill. However, all venom hurts like hell.

Around the buzzing in my ears I can hear people yelling and screaming; demanding I do something to calm her down, to take Peter's pain away. I can also hear and feel Bella's growls and snarls as she tries to get free. Reflexively I tighten my grip on her and an instinctive purr starts in my chest by her ear. It does nothing but piss her off more, but my instincts have never failed me before so I keep it going with more volume. If I am right, the purr is pissing her off because it is meant to calm her and she does not want to be calm. She wants blood, or rather venom.

I can hear James yell above the commotion to draw everyone's attention to him, well everyone but Bella. She is so intent on Peter that nothing is going to deter her from him. "Everyone needs to shut the FUCK UP! None of this is helping the situation. Garrett, you and the dog take Peter out on the balcony; get him out of her sight. Charlotte, go with them. Patch him up as much as you can to get his scent under control. Victoria, go get something of Jasper's, it does not matter what it is, just make sure that Peter's scent is not on it." Then he turns to me, "Major, can you do anything at all to settle her down? Even knocking her into a fucking stupor?"

I shook my head. "Nothing and if you ever suggest I do that again I will not hesitate to kick your ass. She is so lost to her inner demon that there is no thought behind her emotions but revenge and murder. If there is anything else going on it is to minute that I can't find it, so I can't mess with her emotions without losing her in the process, and that is not something I am even willing to entertain."

It was that point that Victoria came back with one of my shirts that I have not warn since we got here. James looked at her and held a hand out to tell her to stay back. Victoria looked at Bella and you could easily read the fear in her eyes. I was still purring in Bella's ear when I smirked at her. "And you thought I was fucking around when I told you that you wanted no part in pissing her off." She shuddered and gulped. James reached for the shirt in her hands and was real careful on how much he touched it. He held it up in front of his face and took a deep breath to make sure that you could not smell Peter on it anywhere. When he was satisfied he took it by the sleeves and came to stand behind me.

"Well, looks like it's the old fashion way then. I am going to tie this over her nose and then go get her some dinner. She's not eaten since she got here has she?"

I shook my head. "No, other things have been going on and I have not had the time to take her hunting."

"Well, then that's what Victoria and I will do. You need to feed yet?"

I looked at my arm and the venom dripping on to the floor. "Yeah, gonna need some help healing this love bite." He snorted as he tied the sleeves together behind Bella's head. Victoria adjusted it over her nose and got the fuck away from her mouth. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, cuz she is going to be able to get you with a full mouth and no sense of smell." Victoria went to open her mouth but the moment her voice came out, Bella switched targets and lunged for her making me do the only thing I could; I pushed her as flat on the ground as I could with my arm still in her mouth and put my knee in her back. "I think now would be a good time to be on your way, yes?" and they vanished before my very eyes. I looked at my mate and sighed. I honestly didn't know what the fuck to do. I have never had to deal with this shit before. Like I said, any other time it happened we just killed the poor bastard; there was no reason not to. But this was my mate, my life; there is no way that I would allow that to happen.

Well, I guess the first thing to do is get her to let go of my goddamn arm. The question remained the same though. HOW THE FUCK TO DO IT! I growl and get bit harder for the effort. Alright; got the message baby girl, don't growl. I cut off the growl but keep up the purr while I thought about the lack of options I had at the moments. Then all the fucking sudden I was hit with a moment of perfect clarity. It seems Satan was in a good fucking mood to bless me with a solution. I called Garrett to give me a hand. When he came in he looked at the situation and had a grave look on his face. He knows how we deal with this kind of shit. But when he looks at the smirk on my face his takes on a contemplative look. "What can I aid you with Major?"

"Go turn on the shower in the bedroom as hot as you can, then go to the bar and get one of the box wines that have a bag inside. She wants to bite something, then let her bite something that can't actually feel it. When that is done come back here and give me a hand getting her to the bathroom. If she won't relax on her own and I can't use my gift to make her, than I will just have to use other means."

He nods and hurries to do what I asked. He knows that time is of the essence. The longer that she's like this, the harder it will be to bring her back. Less than a minute later he is standing in front of us. I pull back with the arm that is still in her mouth to get her to her knees. He grabs her under the arms and hulls her to her feet as I get to mine. Her fingers start to dig into my wrist and the sudden pain makes me hiss; and my hiss makes her hiss as best she can. Her hiss pissed Peter off and he growls loud enough for Bella to hear and it sets her off again. Alright, I have had just about enough of this crap. I adjusted my grip on Bella's wrists so that her hands were between her shoulder blades with her fingers pointing up opposed to down by her ass and fingers pointing down. "Peter, I swear to god and everything holy, I will kill you myself if YOU DON'T KNOCK IT THE HELL OFF! I took this bite for you, you son of a bitch, the least you can do is be fucking grateful and stop pissing her off more!" For a dog, Jacob is pretty smart, ya know, closing the door and all.

Garrett looked at me then at Bella. "Do you think that you can bring her back?"

I pushed her forward and shrugged. "I don't know. I have never tried to actually do anything to a vampire that lost themselves. I just killed them. But death for her is not an option. I have told her that since the day she woke up and I will not make everything I EVER told her a lie."

He nodded. "So Major, what's the plan then?"

We were in the bedroom now. "What I plan to do is distract her. I am going to get her in the hot shower and it is my hope that it will, if nothing else; get her to let me go. When and if she does than I will give her the wine and let her sink her teeth into the bag. James and Victoria went to get us something to eat. I am praying with everything I have that between the shower, wine, and blood that I can get her to think about something other than her sire."

"And what do you want to get her to focus on if not him?" good he picked up on not saying his name.

He was standing at the bathroom door and I had our backs to him. I looked over my shoulder at him and smirked. "I don't rightly give a fuck. However, I do have an idea. Hence the wine. My baby girl is a horny bitch when drunk on wine. If I can get her attention adverted to me, than I can work with her emotions and settle her down; because she, as far as I know, does not want to kill me. I do know that she is not happy with me, but I don't think she wants to kill me."

"So to understand your plan, you are going to try and get her to change her emotions from wrath to lust?"

"Yup, that about covers it. Thought goes into lust. You don't need to think to kill someone, but you do need to think to fuck 'em."

He chuckled. "Best of luck Major. I shall see to it that there are no interruptions. The guests on the balcony will be relocated to a different place and your meal will be brought in here and locked in so you can feed at your leisure. Are there any other orders you need carried out during your absence?"

I thought for a moment. "I don't think so at the moment. There was supposed to be a meeting in an hour, but I think it is safe to say that it needs to be postponed."

He bowed his head, "I will see to it for you. What reason should be given?"

I rolled my eyes. "The big players in the game know what's up. Tell the rest the truth. No reason to lie. As a matter of fact, it will probably help the cause more when they find out what my mate can do when pissed off."

"It will be as you wish it Major. If I may speak freely for a moment." I nodded. "Your mate is a force all her own. She need not be smothered and need not be meant to stand in the shadows. She has proven too many that she can handle any situation as it may call to her. We heard her rant before she attacked your captain tonight and I must say that I think that under the circumstances, she handled it better than most of the people you involve yourself with. She did show restraint to some degree. You know better than anyone that if she truly wanted him dead, you would not have stopped her. She could have killed him before anyone acted. I truly believe that she just wanted to show him the pain that she has felt."

I turned my upper body towards him without letting up on my grip on Bella. "I would be inclined to believe that as well if I did not have her teeth branding the bone in my arm."

He raised his brow at me. "Do you not think that she could have avoided you and gotten her prize if his death is what she truly wanted? She wanted to inflict pain on him, she wanted him to fear her, she wanted him to realize he did her wrong, but mostly, she wanted his blood as he took hers. It was spilt so she got her revenge. All I will say on the subject is she is not meant to stand in the background. She is meant for great things. You are the god of war, Jasper. You wanted a goddess and you have shaped her well, however, a goddess is a light all her own. If you want her to grow, you must let her shine. I realize that she is your mate and you will do as you wish, but at least think about it. She was independent once upon a time. She will need to be again if you wish for your plan to succeed where so many others have failed." He bowed his head and grabbed the door handle. "Best of luck with your mate, Major."

Before the door closed I called out, "What would you do?" I am not one turn down advice from someone as old as him if he will freely give it.

He got a whimsical smile on his face and his eyes got a faraway look in them, "Me? I would give my goddess of darkness the sun." That simple statement was said so matter of factly that it left me coming up short with a response. He left after that, leaving me with Bella who is still growling and still won't let go of my fucking arm.

After I got her in the shower, and let me tell ya, not an easy thing to do with only one arm. I got her undressed but I went in with my clothes still on, and she very slowly started to relax. I kept the purr going and ran my free fingers through her hair, nuzzled my nose on her neck. Did everything I could think of to calm her without doing anything sexual. No; that I wanted to save as a reward of sorts. I know that when she comes back she is going to be worried that I am going to be pissed, but I'm not. She had every right to attack. I do wish that she would have gone after me, but she didn't and there is nothing I can do about it now.

While I was waiting to get my arm out her mouth I thought about what Garrett said. I do agree that there MIGHT have been a part of her that didn't want to kill him and just fuck him up, but looking at my arm, I find myself inclined to stomp that thought. But I know my mate, and I know that she is against killing unless it is in self-defense, or they bite her. No, that she takes personally and it pisses her off. The situation with Peter really does not fall under that umbrella though. I can understand her reaction, but not really the extent that she went to. Sure he made the bite that changed her, but she already KNEW that he was her sire.

I felt her relax her jaw a bit but not enough to consider it any kind of victory. Her teeth are still lodged in my bone and it is beginning to become annoying so I figured that it's time to up the effort. I started to lick and nip at my mating marks. Fucking right; jackpot. It only took five hours but I started to feel lust leak into her emotions so I kept it up. I kissed my way up her neck and nipped at her ear and in a breathy whisper, "this would be a lot easier and more fun for you if I had both arms Baby girl. You wanna let me go, yet?"

I saw her eyes flutter shut and heard a soft moan slip past her lips. I felt her jaw flex and had about a tenth of a second to prepare for the burning pain of having her teeth ripped from my arm. I was able to keep the roar to a grunt but fucking Christ that shit hurt. But never one to allow pain to get in my way I spun her to face me, pulled her to my chest and crushed my lips to hers. I didn't let myself get carried away the way I wanted to because she was still overwhelmed with rage, but I did kiss the fuck out of her.

When I pulled back I looked her dead in the eyes and held her at arms-length. "We have a lot to talk about." She nodded. "You scared the shit out of me." She looked down and nodded again. "You realize I could have lost you for good don't you?" she looked back up with hazy eyes and nodded again. "You also know that I am not mad at you right?" her eyes went wide and she shook her head no making me smile at her. "Bella, I knew that you were going to take the news badly. Your reaction was no less than I was prepared for. But I figured you were going to attack me and you went after Peter. He might be a bit miffed but I am too relieved that you came back to me to be upset with you. You have to understand that I didn't know if I was going to be able to bring you back. We have some things to discuss, but, that can be saved for later. Right now there are a few other things I have in mind. You're still so wound up so you are going to take a shower and relax. You expressed that you wished to go home, so while you shower I am going to make the arrangements to make that happen. When that's done James and Victoria have brought us something eat."

I ran my fingers along her jaw and my voice turned husky, "then after you are fed we are going to lock everyone out and I am going to do things to you that are illegal in a few different states until it's time for us to leave." I saw the shudder travel her spine and I smirked. "I'll be in the bedroom. Do me a favor and relax. There is wine on the counter and dinner is waiting when you are ready." I kissed her nose and winked at her. "Don't keep me waiting. You know I am not one to do so."

I got out of the shower and took a moment to check out my 'love bite' as I like to call it apparently. Looking at it, it is enough to make me weep with pride. If this bite had found its mark on Peter like she wanted it to, it would have no doubt taken his head without much more effort on her part. I can see the teeth marks on the bone that my venom is doing its best to fix, but god damn, I think it would be less painful to just leave her teeth there and make her drink through a fucking straw for the rest of her life. I stripped out of my wet clothes and wrapped my arm with my shirt and had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop the hiss. Now, I am not a pussy by any means, but fucking Christ, that shit was brutal.

I left Isabella to her shower and I went in to our room and laughed out loud when I saw what James and Victoria did. I was so focused on Bella that I never felt them, but the vindictive fuckers actually tied them to the fucking bed. There were four of them, each tied to their own bedpost. The women were screaming around their gags and I am about 99% sure one of the men shit himself. There was a note pinned to one of the females like teachers do to younger kids so they don't get lost.

 _I know how much you like the taste of fear._

 _Enjoy, James_

 _p.s. yes, the guy in the suit did in fact shit himself._

Silly fucker. I shook my head at his antics and went to my closet and grabbed some pajama pants and then went to get myself a drink. There was an array of new bottles on the bar and another note from James giving me a hard time about giving Bella wine when he knows she likes the hard shit. I sighed, grabbed a bottle of jack, opened it, and took the whole thing to the face. Now that I felt a fuck ton better, I got on my phone and called the charter to arrange for a flight home in two days. They tried to tell me it would be at least a week but the second I told them my last name their tune changed. Sometimes it's good to be feared. The owners of the hanger are vampires and they know that what Jasper Whitlock wants, he gets. It didn't occur to me until after I hung up that fucking Peter was right about us being back home in a week.

Son of a bitch.


	24. Chapter 24

**BPOV**

Time. It really is a fickle thing. As a human, it is measured by milestones we reach. As a vampire, I really have no sense of it. It passes only by the rising and setting of the sun. So you can only imagine what it's like to lose some. To lose the small reminder that we are even still here. Humans have heartbeats to prove that there are still living. I have no such reminder. So when everything in my world went black, it was quite the life changing experience. I was unaware of everything around me. Sight, smell, touch, awareness; it was all lost on me. So it was quite disorienting to come back to myself.

I'm wet. Why the fuck am I wet? Better question is where the fuck am I? The last thing I remember is yelling at the fucking dead man walking and now I'm wet. And what is that noise? It's kinda soothing. More annoying, but soothing. I jumped a bit when I felt something run along my neck. What is that? Whatever it is, it's relaxing. I can feel my body start to become less rigid, if even just a by a small fraction. I can feel my jaw relax and something pulling at my teeth. I know that this is a vital discovery, but I am still just so pissed off that I can't figure out why that is. And that fucking noise is grating on my nerves, but I can't stop myself from relaxing further because of it.

Time continues to elude my grasp as I find myself getting lost in the sensations of the noise and feeling of whatever it is that is now concentrated only on the mating mark on the right side on my neck. On the heels of that thought came the realization that Jasper is present and I am in deep shit and my eyes snap open. However as much as I want to react to that, I find myself soothed even more and relax far more than I should. Even with as pissed as I am, I cannot help the lustful thoughts and feelings that start to invade my mind as I feel teeth and tongue caress my throat.

I can feel his nose glide up to my ear and a caressing nip before I hear in the quietest voice, "this would be a lot easier and more fun for you if I had both arms Baby girl. You wanna let me go, yet?" My eyes slid close again and I moaned at the sound of his voice, but I don't understand what he means. I can feel my hands and they are limp at my sides, so how am I holding him? I go to open my mouth to ask and I find that I can't. Taking in this information I realize that Jasper's arm is IN MY MOUTH. At that point I did the only thing I could; I opened my mouth as far and as fast as I could so as to release him. I heard him grunt as my teeth came free of him.

The next thing I know is I am spun around and his lips are on mine in the most passion filled and brutal kiss that I have ever received from him. It was shorter than I would have liked but when he pulled back he held me at arm's length and looked me in the eyes. "We have a lot to talk about." I didn't say anything, just nodded. "You scared the shit out of me." I looked down and nodded again. "You realize I could have lost you for good don't you?" I looked back up with hazy eyes and nodded again. "You also know that I am not mad at you right?" My eyes went wide and shook my head no making him smile at me. "Bella, I knew that you were going to take the news badly. Your reaction was no less than I was prepared for. But I figured you were going to attack me but you went after Peter. He might be a bit miffed but I am to relieved that you came back to me to be upset with you. You have to understand that I didn't know if I was going to be able to bring you back. We have some things to discuss, but, that can be saved for later. Right now there are a few other things I have in mind. You're still to wound up so you are going to take a shower and relax. You expressed that you wished to go home, so while you shower I am going to make the arrangements to make that happen. When that's done James and Victoria have brought us something to eat."

He ran his fingers along my jaw and his voice turned husky, "then after you are fed we are going to lock everyone out and I am going to do things to you that are illegal in a few different states until it's time for us to leave." I could not stop the shudder that traveled up my spine making him smirk. "I'll be in the bedroom. Do me a favor and relax. There is wine on the counter and dinner is waiting when you are ready." He kissed my nose and winked at me. "Don't keep me waiting. You know I am not one to do so." I was so shocked that I just nodded at his back as he got out of the shower, wrapped his wet shirt around his forearm, and walked out of the room.

When the door closed I closed my eyes again and turned my head up into the spray of the shower and let it just run over my face, doing my best to just let it wash away my anger and rage. I took a deep breath and held it for a moment then let it out slowly. With it went the murderous rage but not the overwhelming anger. That I didn't think was going to go anywhere for a while though. I just can't believe that after all this time that I was killed just to keep him alive. I guess I should be honored, like Peter said, but I just can't bring myself to feel that. All can feel is betrayal. There was once upon a time that I saw Jasper as a brother type thing. A protector against all things evil, well jokes on me in that case. Jasper is like, the definition of evil. And I was meant to be his salvation. That is an almost humbling thought. Mother fuck, I want to kill the fucker even more now that I can see his point.

When I opened my eyes again I was sitting on the shower floor curled into a ball. When the fuck did that happen? I looked over to the wine on the counter and a small smile was on my face. Wine, yum. Come to mama. I reached over and grabbed the box and without ceremony, bit through the box straight into the bag. Fuck that nozzle, it's for pussies. This is one of the best things about being a vampire, with no need to breath, no need to stop drinking. I treated that box of wine like Jasper when he wants to get frisky; just kept sucking till it was spent. A pout came to my face when it was gone. I take that back, the bag is nothing like my Jasper. That was not nearly as satisfying.

I look around the room and see a towel on the counter but no clothing. Damn. Oh well, that's cool I guess. Less I have to replace if it is not there to get ripped up in the first place. Looking at the floor I saw the outfit I was wearing earlier and there is nothing left of it. Sad, I liked that, it was cute.

I turned off the water and heard heartbeats and what sounded and smelled strangely like a pig. I swear if Jasper makes me eat from an animal again I am going to murder him. He said James got dinner and I don't think that he would be THAT cold hearted. I mean, I HAVE made my hatred for his mate very well know. But that bitch did me dirty. It would only be normal if I showed it outwardly. Jasper said to never let that shit bottle up. Well, I can't really do anything about it and I'm hungry.

I got out of the tub and wrapped the towel around me and wiped the fog from the mirror. Wow, I look like death warmed over. That got a giggle out of me. My eyes are the blackest I think I have ever seen them and my skin looks paler. Well, hell. That sucks. Without drying off I walked out into the room and was hit with the grossest smell I have ever encountered making me gag. Looking over to the bed I see four humans tied to the bed. That would be great if the smell was not coming from there. Looking at them I put my hands on my hips and with a voice my mom used to use on me when I was being bad, "Alright, which one of you fuckers shit in my bed?"

 **JPOV**

 _I shook my head at his antics and went to my closet and grabbed some sleep pants and then went to get myself a drink. There was an array of new bottles on the bar and another note from James giving me a hard time about giving Bella wine when he knows she likes the hard shit. I sighed, grabbed a bottle of jack, opened it, and took the whole thing to the face. Now that I felt a fuck ton better I got on my phone and called the charter to arrange for a flight home in two days. They tried to tell me it would be at least a week but the second I told them my last name their tune changed. Sometimes it's good to be feared. The owners of the hanger are vampires and they know that what Jasper Whitlock wants, he gets. It didn't occur to me until after I hung up that fucking Peter was right about us being back home in a week._

 _Son of a bitch._

I just shrugged. What the fuck ever. Let the asshole be right, I really don't give a rat's ass. I called down to the front desk and asked that they keep the elevator from coming to our floor and had all calls to our room fielded and put through to Garrett's room. There is nothing that is going to get in the way and nothing that is going to stop me from working things out and fixing them to the best of my ability with my mate. After I hung up the phone I heard the shower turn off and Bella get out of the tub so I headed that way. I had my hands clasped behind my back thinking about everything I wanted to talk to her about and everything that she needed to know. She was right when she said that I didn't have to hide things from her and truthfully, I was sick of keeping her in the dark. I told her that I might not tell her everything, but everything I told her would always be the truth and I fell flat on that account. I did and still do feel bad about that. She is my mate and her life is in just as much danger as mine is on a daily basis. If she has the same information that I do, perhaps she will be slightly more okay with the way I do things.

Walking in the room I see her looking a little green. I don't blame her, it fucking reeks in here. I see her look around the room for a moment before her eyes land on the bed. She cocked her head to the side, put her hands on her hips, and in the most condescending voice I have ever hear from her, "Alright, which one of you fuckers shit in my bed?" making me snort.

I leaned on the doorframe and crossed my arms, "James apparently scared the shit out of the dude in the suit." She looked at me and I saw her gulp making me purse my lips. "Baby girl, you have nothing to worry about, well, at least not as far as I am concerned. Like I said, Peter is probably going to be a bit miffed, but I'm just too relieved at the moment to really be too upset with you. However, on that note, we have quite a bit to talk about, wouldn't you agree?"

She looked down for a moment and her brow creased before she nodded. "Yeah, I guess we do." I could hear the slight fear in her voice and I didn't like it. She has never been afraid of me before, per say, and I liked that about her. Well, time to fix that problem. She is the only person in the world that has no need to fear me and I will make sure she understands that.

I walked over to the bed and cut the ties that held the humans in place. With the elevator deactivated they can't go anywhere and everyone knows that they taste better when you get to hunt them down and they took no time running away. I crossed my arms and nodded to the other room, "Go eat. We'll talk when you're done."


	25. Chapter 25

I sat on the bar top as she took out two of the humans, leaving me the other two. She walked over to me and I pulled her to stand between my legs by her hips. She was looking down with her brow drawn together, eyes locked on the bite mark on my forearm. She licked her lips and lifted her eyes to meet mine, "I'm sorry I bit you."

I shrugged, "Not the first time Darlin' and probably not the last. And you didn't really bite me; I put my arm there to keep you from ripping Peter's head off. How are feeling now? Still hungry?" she shook her head and I nodded. "Alright. " I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "We are going home in two days, and during the time we are still here, we need to go over a few things." Lifting her head by her chin, I caught her eyes and held them, feeling mine start to soften. "Isabella, would you believe me if I said I was proud of you?"

Her eyes widened a little and her jaw slackened, "Why would you be proud of me?"

I smiled at her. "Why wouldn't I be? You have proven many times over that you are more than you seem. You were able to beat your inner demon and came back from a darkness that I have never seen anyone come back from. The biggest reason though is you have the ability to put up with me. THAT is a task that no one has ever been able to do. There are a few things that I want to tell you. Maybe after you see my point of view on a few things, you will better understand why I am the way I am with you. I don't do things like other males do and you know that, but I have to do them the way I do for your safety. You were raised to know how to fight and defend yourself. You know I was harder and more brutal with your training than I was with anyone else. I think it is time I told you why.

"Remember the conversation out on the balcony we had yesterday?"

She nodded, "Yeah, you told me about how you have like 15 enemies for every ally."

I nodded and moved my hand back to her hip. "Yea, that. That is the reason I was hard on you, I had to know that if we were ever separated you could take care of yourself until I could find you. I have some of the most dangerous enemies on the planet Darlin' and any of them would love to get their hands on you and use you against me. If something, ANYTHING happened to you, I would truly have no reason to care about anything. I would take as many people out with me as I could, but the fact is Bella, if something happened to you my will to live would be gone. I would go down fighting, but I would go down."

She looked at me hard for a moment, "You know, Edward said that same thing to me. Not all of it, but that his will to live would be gone if something happened to me."

I shrugged, "Edward was a pussy. He could talk big, but backing his shit up was another thing entirely." I licked my lips and reached behind me and grabbed a bottle of Jose and handed it to her before grabbing some random bottle and pulling her into a different room that didn't smell like shit. Pointing to the bed, she climbed up and leaned against the headboard and I sat cross legged in front of her. "I want you to think back to the night you became my mate, and some of the things I said that night." As soon as I mentioned that night she reached up and grabbed her shoulder where it was ripped off and the muscle twitched involuntarily.

However, even with the memory of getting her arm ripped off, she had a smile on her face, "If memory serves Major, I still owe you that tongue lashing."

I chuckled. I remember that well myself. "Yes well, I don't think you can do any better than branding teeth marks in the bone of my forearm little lady."

She snorted, "Well, all I can really say is at least you don't call me Pet anymore. That pissed me off more than anything else you ever did, and that is saying something. Christ, you were an asshole."

I raised a brow, "Were? Darlin', I haven't changed all that much between then and now."

Again, she snorted, "The fuck you haven't. Maybe not with anyone else, but you have with me. Think about it Jasper, the last time I bit you, you put a Bella shaped hole in the ground. Had I still had a working bladder, I would have pissed myself."

I sighed, she was right. "Look, I wish I could say I was sorry for some of the things I have done to you, but I would be lying. You took a lot of shit and you did it with a smile on your face most of the time." I cocked my head to the side after I said that. "How many times did you do stupid shit on purpose?"

She winked at me and took a long drink before jumping up to her feet, "I'll be right back." And she was gone and back before I could say a word, a pack of cigarettes in one hand and two notebooks in the other. She took her seat and tossed the notebooks in front of me. I picked one up and raised a brow. She lit a cigarette and tilted her head at the book in my hand. "Those are the first two of the fifty five journals I have written in since my change."

I looked at them then back to her, "And you gave them to me why?"

She rolled her eyes, "Jesus Jazz, open either one; read any entry and you will have the answer, to both of your questions." So I did. As I was reading she spoke, "In the room, you said I was an astute human and you would have thought it crossed over to my new life. Well, it did, just in a much different and arguably more sadistic way."

I shifted my eyes to her for a moment before I went back to the entry.

 _Day 76_

 _It is a down day, no training for us newborns and no real direction as far as leisure time. Jasper seems to be uptight for some reason, snapping at everyone, growling at anything. It does not take a genius to figure him out, but it does take a bit of dedication to the cause. I figured out a long time ago that he needs some form of constant control or he is as lost as a lamb in the jungle. I also figured out that I am the only one that is safe from his pissy-ass attitude. Anyone else that did half the shit I do would not only get ripped apart, but burned as well. So far today, I have been relieved of three fingers and a toe because I poked him with it, but he just seems to get more and more pissed off._

 _I thought about trying to talk to him, but from the look in his eyes, that would be stupid, even for me. Hmm, what to do? Looking at the hand missing fingers I get a really stupid, beyond retarded and border line suicidal idea. Maria called off training today because she had to bounce out for one reason or another, but that didn't necessarily mean that we couldn't, just that we didn't have to._

 _Looking at Jasper out of the corner of my eye, I can see him looking at me, his eyes were dark and that trademark glare set firmly on his face. Like I said, suicidal; but fun none the less. His brow rose, probably from my emotions and his eyes go just that much darker. I try to hide the smirk on my face behind my notebook, but I know it's not working. Even if I can hide my features, my giddy emotions will get me every fucking time. The question is, how do I go about this? That is a no-brainer. Sticking my tongue out works every time. More on this later when I get my hands back. Is it fucked up that I am actually looking forward to this? Thought so._

 _Kiss kiss, I'm out bitches!_

I was floored at reading this. I remember that day. It was the anniversary of the day I found out that my wife was cheating on me. It took two years, but Maria figured out that if there was training that day, the entire army would get wiped out and she liked how they were looking that year and didn't want them all killed. This little shit provoked me on purpose.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _I was sitting at my desk while my little pet was sitting on the cot writing in a notebook. Every once and a while I could feel her eyes on me, but I ignored it, until I felt her emotions start to swirl from content to conspiring. I looked over at her and I saw her look at me out of the corner of her eye. She closed her notebook and set it aside before she crossed her arms, gave me a condescending look, and stuck her tongue out at me. I growled a warning and she gave me the finger. That was the last straw. I dove at her and she jumped over my head and landed behind me in a crouch and snickered._

 _"You're getting slow Major."_

 _Snarling, I launched at her catching her right before she had a chance to dodge and we went crashing through the wall of my cabin, rolling around on the ground like two dogs fighting over a bitch in heat, growling, snarling, snapping and clawing at each other. She was able to get a foot in my chest and pushed me off her._

 _I landed on my feet and she rolled to hers. I crouched and so did she. I shot forward and so did she. I went high, she went low and base slid under me. She recovered before I did and speared me in the back, catching me off guard enough to not have footing and once again, we were tumbling around on the ground. She laughed and I stopped for a moment. '_ She's enjoying this?' _That was when I figured out she wanted to play. It almost brought a smile to my face, but I held it in and switched my tactics from trying to kill her to fucking around._

 _The beginning of our fight had caught the attention of a lot of people and as we were circling each other looking for the other's weak spot, we ended up in the middle of a ring of people watching us._

 _She growled and lunged forcing me to go in the defensive. I ducked her attempt, but she was ready for the counter and blocked the hit, but was knocked on her back. I dove at her, but she got her feet up in time and flipped me over her, using my momentum and flipped with me landing and sitting on my chest. She got the win and rolled off me. She stood up and looked down at me, "Best two out of three?"_

 _I won the contest and she smiled at me holding her arm to her chest, "Feel better now Major?"_

 _I snorted as I walked away with her hand. I actually did feel much better_

 _ **End flashback**_

I gave her her hand back as soon as she came inside. I asked her what she was thinking and she just smiled and went back to writing in her book. An hour after that I told her to get dressed and that we were going out for the night. She earned a night out and I wanted to get trashed.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _I was telling Peter to have a small training session with the newborns. Nothing hard, just some basic maneuvers when she came out of the bathroom. I turned to look at her and the words died on my tongue. She looked fantastic. She was wearing a short jean skirt that had holes in different places. Her halter top ended at the bottom of her ribs and was a crimson red with a black-stitched design and was wearing arm bands that matched her halter that cut across her palms and went up her forearms to cover her still healing wrist. Her boots came up to her knees and had a four inch heel and laced up the front. Her hair was in a high pony tail and she had on light makeup. She was absolutely gorgeous._

 _She did a twirl, "This alright?"_

 _I cleared my throat and nodded, not trusting my voice to sound right. Turning to Peter, I wanted to groan when I was his shit eating grin. "We will be back in the morning. You're in charge until I get back."_

 _"You got it. Have fun you two." I raised a brow at his back. That's it?_

 _Rolling my eyes I turned back to Bella, "Ready?"_

 _She smiled, "Sure am. This is going to be so much fun!"_

 _I chuckled and held my arm out for her to take. I walked her to the shed where I kept my bike. It was the only thing I kept from my time with the Cullen coven and it was my baby. She took one look at it and a wide grin spread across her face before she squealed, "Dear god in heaven, she's beautiful." She turned that smile on me and my dick twitched. "Why didn't you tell me you had a bike?" Then her face fell._

 _I cocked my head to the side, "What's wrong?"_

 _She shook her head, "I was just wondering what happened to mine when I never showed to pay my rent at my apartment. She wasn't nearly as nice as this, but she was still my baby."_

 _My eyes widened, "You had a bike?"_

 _She shrugged, "It was a rebel thing. My parents hated it, and Edward would have blown the fucker up. I did a lot of things after those three years passed me by that I knew he would have hated and disapproved of. The bike was the first, then there was base jumping, sky diving, deep sea diving, hang gliding and I ran with the bulls once."_

 _I snorted as I helped her on the back on my bike. "What the hell did you do? Sit down and think about every last thing he would have hated and fucking did it?"_

 _She shrugged again as she wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed my thighs with hers to tell me she was set. "More or less. There was still more on the list I wanted to do, but the danger factor is just not there anymore defeating the purpose entirely."_

 _We were on the road and she was leaning with me in every curve like a pro as I thought about what she said. She really did change a lot over the past five years. I didn't know her story, but the more she brought it up, the more I wanted to know it and the more I couldn't wait to make her mine._

 _After the win she got over on me tonight though, she is closer to what I wanted her to be. Just a little more and she will be ready._

 _ **End flashback**_

Fourteen days later I bit her the first time marking her as mine and six months after that I made her my mate. Every day she got better, stronger and more in tune with me. She can predict my every move, can point out and fix my every mood. She can stand against me and win half the time and come close others. She really is the perfect mate.

Looking down at her as she finished her cigarette, she looked content, probably for the first time since we crossed paths again. Taking a drink of the random bottle, I damn near threw up when I realized what I grabbed. I, just like her, cannot stand gin. So I did what any one in my position would do. I threw the fucking bottle across the room and took hers.

She didn't take too kindly to that, however. With a "Hey you fucker!" she twisted around, straddled my hips and started to wrestle with me to get her drink back. I doubt that she took into consideration that in her trying to get it back, she was actually making it spill all over the damn place. "Jasper you ass hole, give it back!"

Giving her a shit eating grin, I shifted and held it out of her reach. "What do I get out of it?"

She gave me a blank stare that clearly said 'are you fucking serious?' "You take my drink because you didn't take the time to find something you actually drink, then expect me to give you something in exchange for something that was mine in the first damn place? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"You would actually be surprised how often I get asked that."

"No, I really wouldn't. Now give it back you jerk." She lunged for the bottle and in doing so, somehow managed to take us both to the ground and because I was not expecting the sudden relocation, said bottle ended up flying out of my hand and smashed against the wall. When she sound reached her ears her face took on quite the pathetic looking pout. "That was the last of the Tequila."

I snorted, "Bella, Darling', I can always get you more."

Her bottom lip started to tremble telling me how intoxicated she actually was. "But, that was mine and that was the last of it here. You said that we were going to stay here for the next two days, so how the hell are you going to get more?"

Tilting my head back to find out what time it was, or at least where the sun was in the sky, an idea came to mind that I was sure she was going to love. Looking back at her and seeing her eye the broken bottle and liquid that was soaking into the carpet, I bucked my hips to get her attention. I, however, was not expecting to get a choked moan in response. Her head snapped down and her eyes locked on mine and there was shock, disbelieve and desire in her eyes, not that that was so much of a shock to me. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but that is the look that is almost always in her eyes when she looks at me when she is drunk. And also as always, the desire is the most prominent one. Hells yeah; however, right now is not the time. I'm hungry and I want to take her out to for a night on the town.

Sitting up, propped heavily on my hands, I leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her lips. Pulling back I smirked at the look on her face. "Why don't you get dressed up while I eat? When you're ready, I am going to take you out for the night."

The smile she gave me put the sun to shame in its brightness. "Really?"

I nodded, "This is supposed to be our vacation right? So, go get dressed and we will go." She lunged at me, threw her arms around my neck and planted a loud smacking kiss on my cheek before she jumped up and ran to our room calling over her shoulder, "You're the best Jazz!"

Getting to my feet with a chuckle, I went looking for my dinner. Making quick work of the two remaining humans, I called James to tell him that we were going out and to come clean up the mess and to do something about the smell. After that I called the front desk to have them ready my car and then the local club to reserve a V.I.P. room. When that was done I went to our room to change out of the blood-covered clothes and stopped dead in my tracks at the vision that is my mate. She was wearing a short black skirt that stopped mid-thigh that was pleated like that of a school girl. She wore a tight white short sleeved button up with the top few buttons undone showing off the top of her breasts giving you a peek at the black bra she was wearing with a short black and pink tie loose around her neck out lining and drawing your attention to her chest. The shirt was not only tight; it was short giving you a heavy dose of her flat and toned stomach. She was again wearing arm bands that went from her wrists to just below her elbows that matched her tie. The black knee high boots had a five inch heel and her hair was up in pig tales with pink ribbons hiding the ties. She looked every bit the Gothic school girl.

Walking up behind her while she was doing her makeup, I slid my fingers lightly across her exposed tummy and ran my nose up her neck, smirking at the tremor that caressed her spine from skull to tailbone. She tilted her head to the side giving me more flesh to play with. Kissing and nipping my way up her neck to her ear, I took the lobe in my mouth and scraped it with my teeth. "You look good enough to eat, Darlin'." A moan was my answer as I ran my hand up her bare thigh to the hem of her skirt.

Continuing up and taking the scrap of cloth with me, I got a full view of her naked ass. Hmm, that is a thong I do not remember packing. As a matter of fact, I do not remember packing her the bra either. If memory serves, I didn't pack her any underwear. She must have had them on when we left the states. Eh, not like they got dirty or anything. This was not going to take as long as I thought, not with the sight that I am privileged with at the moment.

Moving the string out of my way, I let a finger slide slowly along her slit to the bud. Slowly circling it with the tip of my finger, I retraced my path backwards. She pushed back against me, her head down with her chin to her chest, a purr like groan spilling from her throat making me chuckle not only at the sound but at how wet she was already.

Quickly undoing the button and zipper on my jeans, I pushed them down far enough for my already hard and throbbing dick to break free. Giving it a few pumps, I grabbed it and rubbed it against her a few more time before I slid home to the hilt with a groan. There really is nothing like the feel of her swallowing me inside her glorious pussy. I would stay here forever if it was possible.

Wanting this to take a little bit of time, my strokes were slow but powerful. I was hunched over her back, face buried in her neck. Peppered kisses and soft nuzzling gained me a purr from her, and because at the moment everything is just as it should be between us, my own answering purr mixed with hers as my hips continued their slow pumps. I was not under any disillusion, however. We were both already slightly drunk and keyed up. It didn't take much to drive her to the brink and moving my hand between her thighs, one flick to her clit, she was pushed over; the tightness of her muscles squeezing me hard enough to follow.

This was a time for the books. I actually didn't bite her. With nothing more than a kiss to her shoulder blade, I pulled out of her. Reaching around her, I cupped her cheek and turned her to face me. She gave me a satisfied smile and I gave her a peck to the tip of her nose.

"Now you can finish up while I change."

She giggled as she leaned forward and buried her face in my chest, wrapping her arms around me. I chuckled at her and put my arms around her. She looked up at me with that happy smile still on her face, "You know Jazz, you really aren't that bad."

I butted my nose with hers and smirked, "You keep that shit to yourself little lady. Can't have that kind of crap getting out now can we?" She giggled again as I kissed her forehead before pulling away and heading off to the closet to change into something not covered in blood. I mean, gotta look good for my lady right?


	26. Chapter 26

_Taking the bottle from my mate with a chuckle, "Bella, Sugar, you need to slow it down_."

"Jazz."

 _Feeling her fingers twist in my hair before pulling me in for a searing kiss._

"Jazz."

 _My arms sliding around her waist to pull her closer._

"Jasper."

 _Skilled little hands running down my chest._

"Jesus fuck Jasper, wake the hell up!"

Pain exploding on the side of my face had my eyes shooting open and locking with the glare I was currently receiving from my very unamused mate. Blinking at her, "something wrong Darlin'?" Never let it be said that acting stupid won't get you out of trouble.

Bella was standing there with slightly widened eyes, her jaw was slack so her perfectly pouty lips were parted and her once tightly crossed arms were now loosely swinging at her sides. She blinked at me before her eyes narrowed a little and her face pinched into an adorable scowl. "No, everything is fucking perfect. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the plane is plummeting to the ground. It's the perfect homecoming, Major."

Giving a stretch in my seat and cracking my knuckles, "then why did you feel it was necessary to pull me out of my wonderful daydream? I think we were about to get it on, Darlin'."

She actually growled at me, but the darkening of her eyes told me that she wasn't completely pissed off. Crossing her arms again, her glare returned. "Did you hear a word I just said?"

I nodded, "Yes, I heard you. You said the sun… oh." Looking out the window of the plane, I saw the ground coming up to greet us a lot faster than it should. Jumping out of my seat and moving to the cockpit, I found no one present and the board was smashed. Whipping my head around to look at my mate, "When did this happen?"

She crossed her arms, "Right about the time you tried to rape my mouth but I hardly think THAT is the current issue here. Jasper what the fuck do we do?"

I blinked at her, "We get the fuck out here before we crash, that's what." I knew she was going to say something without thinking it through first so I beat her to it. "No, it is not the crash we have to worry about. It is the subsequent explosion that MIGHT be cause for concern."

She glanced to the missing safety equipment and sighed, "I just got my fucking hair done."

Nodding slowly at her, "yeah, that's the part of this situation that pisses me off too, Darlin'." Opening the door to the plane and snickering at the annoyed growl when her hair got messed up, I just pointed, "After you my Love."

With a glare at me, she ripped off a piece of the floor, grabbed her backpack and gave me the finger before doing a perfect swan dive out of the plane. Looking after her a second, I watched as she flipped in the air and brought the flooring to her feet and started to sky board with it, her elated squeals flying up to reach my ears.

I snorted at her before looking behind me with one last look at the smashed cockpit, working out in my head what I was going to do to the fucker if I EVER saw that pilot again. Making sure I still had my wallet and phone, I followed Bella out of the plane and to the ground. When I caught up with her, she was smiling and looked to be having the time of her life. Pointing to the clearing that was a few miles away from us, she nodded and changed her direction.

The fall didn't last long, three minutes maybe, but she was laughing when she pulled herself out of the crater she made upon landing. Brushing herself off, she giggled, "Alright, I was wrong. That was just as much fun as it was when I was a human." Then she started to bounce on her toes, "Can we do it again?"

Pinching the bridge of my nose and chuckling, "Sure Baby girl, whatever you want. First though, we need to figure out where we are before you make plans to crash another plane." Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I growled when I didn't have any bars. "Of course, that would make this easy." looking over at Bella, I saw she had her phone in her hand and making ready to climb a tree. "What are you doing?"

She looked at me like I was stupid. Waving her phone, "I have a better phone than you do; Satellite instead of towers. I just have to get out of the cover and above the tree line and it should work just fine. If not for calling someone, the maps and GPS should still come up enough to tell us where we are and which direction to go."

Crossing my arms, I waved a hand to tell her to go ahead and climb up. Waiting at the base of the tree, I crossed my arms and glared at the ground. I wasn't pissed off so to speak but I was really annoyed. This was going to delay us getting home and then the domino effect happens and everything begins to run behind. This wouldn't be an issue if I had use of my fucking phone. Alright, I might be a little pissed off. Glancing up the tree when I heard a whistle, I cocked a brow at my irritated looking mate.

She had a scowl but thoughtful look on her face as she looked back at me, her head cocked to the side; "Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

Not really liking the tone she asked that in, I shook my head. Chances here there was no good news; there was better than bad but not good.

"Well, the good news is I know exactly where we are. The bad news is you're not going to like it."

I already knew that much, but I felt that our exact location was a good thing to figure out. Heaving a sigh, "Where are we, Sugar?"

She scratched her temple and pointed to the southwest, "Florence Airport is twenty miles that way."

Italy, we're in fucking Italy.


	27. Chapter 27

Bella landed next to me on the ground, that same cute little scowl of contemplation on her face. She seemed to be trying to figure something out but I had a question at the ready for her to answer. Looking at her with a cocked brow, "So, wanna tell me how the pilot was not only able to smash the fucking controls but also bail out before you felt it necessary to call my attention to the situation?"

Her head turned towards me so slowly I nearly heard it creak as she stared at me like I was completely insane. She blinked once and her voice, when she spoke, told me she was now questioning my intelligence, "I beg your pardon? You think this shit is MY fault? Had you been a little more aware of your surroundings and less concerned about getting laid, we wouldn't be here, would we? I tried to bring you out of your trance for five fucking minutes before I finally hit you…so drop the 'tude Dick because this is all on you."

Was it really that long? I crossed my arms and glared at her, "Watch it. Now, I know I trained you to handle shit. Why didn't you do anything about it?"

She cocked a brow at me and crossed her arms, "I'm so sorry, Major. Next time I'm told to let you handle everything, I'll ignore you." Smart ass little bitch.

Growling at the bitch who was glaring right back at me, "You know good and god damn we better than to …" she knows better than to cut me off too.

"Yeah, and you know good and god damn better than to let your guard down around a vampire you don't know but you did it anyways. Again, this is not my fault." She held up one of her hands and began ticking off on her fingers every reason that I was to blame for our current situation: "You're the guy; you're the protector; you're older; you're more experienced; and, you're the asshole that never actually LETS me do anything so excuse me for doing as I was taught and waking you up from a damn daydream. I know that probably pisses you off more than the fact we are currently in Italy. Now, say thank you to me for keeping you from jizzing in your pants and making you look like an even bigger ass."

Growling at her tone and words, I pointed a finger in her face, "I said watch it, Mate. You know better." She snapped at the tip of my finger before whirling around and crossing her arms with a huff, smacking me in the face with her hair in the process. Deciding now was not really the time for a fight to break out between the two of us I let it go. Crossing one arm over my chest, I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and forefinger, trying to figure out the best way out of this fucked-up situation without drawing any extra attention to ourselves.

Twenty miles from Florence meant thirty miles, give or take a few, from the royal pain in the asses. However, they have guards and pawns all over the countryside so this was not going to be easy.

There were so many things working against us, at this moment, that I wasn't entirely sure that there was a way that we could make it to the airport without some sort of confrontation. It was the middle of the fucking afternoon, the sun was high in the sky and there was a fire from the plane crash not far enough away from us for me to feel even the slightest bit comfortable with it. That was bad but what made it worse was the fact that the flames were like a beacon to every single person within fifty fucking miles of here calling attention to our exact location. We had no choice but to leave the area immediately…whether we were sparkling in the sun or not.

I groaned low in my throat, cracking an eye open when Bella tugged on my sleeve, drawing my attention to the fire that was starting to catch the trees and vegetation. With a low growl, I jerked my head for her to follow me and we started off in the opposite direction of the crash, "We stick to the treeline as long as we can. That fire is going to draw a lot of attention, if it hasn't already, and the last thing we need is to draw anymore. Stick close, Darlin'."

Right on my heels, Bella followed every footfall, every jump and leap over fallen trees and bushes. She didn't think this was a good idea, I knew that from her emotions, but her words when she called out just confirmed it, "But Jasper, it's the wrong way."

I shook my head as I redirected my path, "the only wrong way is the way that takes us closer to the flames. We can deal with a fight against a person, not so much against fire. That is one fight not even I can win."

She made a little noise, "But Jazz, I just don't think this is a good idea. Something about this is really wrong."

Leaping up into the branches when the underbrush caught fire just as we'd run through it, I nodded a little, "There ain't nothing about this that can even remotely be considered a good idea, Baby Girl. You're just gonna have to trust me right now."

She sighed a little but otherwise fell silent and continued to follow behind me step for step, leap for leap. I knew what she was concerned about because it concerned me, as well. The position that the plane crashed blocked our direct escape route to the airport so we had to go around. That wasn't the problem. The problem was our plane was deliberately brought down and while we were able to avoid the crash itself, I was positive that the person that ordered our plane down was expecting that and more than likely was ready with a counter measure in the event that we didn't go up in flames. I trained my mate to think like a soldier and, while she needed to have that point of view back home, right now it was more a hindrance than an asset because I could feel how much she didn't like this and I didn't like that.

I couldn't even say that she knew that I would never willingly lead her into danger because I did it all the fucking time; it was the main focus of our lives. Danger was our foreplay and war the main event. While she was used to it, that in no way meant she liked it and as more and more time passed, the less I liked it when she was upset. I have never shown my feelings for her in a romantic or loving way but that did not mean that I did not love my mate. I might have been an asshole and refused to acknowledge things for what they were but that did not mean that those feelings were not there.

Thirteen months ago it was about control, it was about domination, it was about not being alone anymore and with someone that I could mold and shape into what I wanted for once and not what was forced on me. I had spent so much time dealing with and choking down bullshit emotions and fake words of comfort and endearments that I was over the moon to finally have the opportunity to have true and honest emotions. I had set aside almost everything and focused on only what I wanted and did only what was necessary to obtain that. I knew that my mate didn't like a lot of my methods and ways of doing things, but in the end, I got not only what I wanted, but what SHE needed.

I raised my mate from the day she woke up a vampire, to be a very strong female. Not necessarily in the respect of independence, because female vampires are not meant to be independent, but in many other aspects that not many others female vampires become. She could kick your ass without a second thought and sometimes without lifting a finger. She was raised to defend herself in ways that no other female vampires were because she needed it. She was raised to think in ways that not many other females are privy to, again, because she might have to one day. She was raised as a newborn vampire in a completely different world than she had witnessed as a human and got the stability and focus on certain traits that were ignored as a human child and because of that, she is more focused and aware of her own safety than she had to be as a human. Nothing anyone could ever say to me will make me think that that is a bad thing.

As a human my mate was a very self-destructive person, not caring about herself and well-being and now she is. While she would follow me to the ends of the earth, she will destroy anyone that tries to force their will on her instead of following the pack blindly to the slaughter. Again, that's a good thing because of the uncertain world where we live.

I glanced over my shoulder at her and saw the concern and trepidation on her face, a clear show that she didn't like this, making me purse my lips a little. I really didn't like this anymore than she did and it made it all the worse because I could feel her anxiety grow with every step to the point that I was a little afraid I was about to start twitching. Glancing over her shoulder I saw that we had put quite a bit of distance between us and the fire that was still raging and taking over another stand of trees. I skidded to a stop and rounded on her, catching her when she slammed into my chest because she was also looking over her shoulder.

Crooking a finger under her chin, I lifted her head and forced her to lock eyes with me. Once I had her attention, I lowered my voice and butted my nose to hers a little as I extended my gift to its furthest reaches to make sure that nothing snuck up on us while I tried to calm her back down. Feeling a couple of emotional signatures coming and closing, I swallowed a growl and focused on my mate.

"Listen to me, Darlin'; you know that I would never let anything happen to you. This sucks, I know that and things are about to get worse. You do what I trained you to do and follow your instincts and everything will be fine." Glancing the direction of the approaching company I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, "Ready Sargent?"

She growled a little at being referred to by her rank but nodded then jerked her head the other direction, "this way. There is no way we can do anything productive in the forest."

I gave her a peck and released her chin letting her take the lead to a clearing that I didn't know was there to give us a little room to work in.


	28. Chapter 28

When the Southern Major and his mate broke the treeline into a small clearing, they skidded to a stop, the young Sergeant looked around the space and formed her plans in her mind for the shit storm that was about to start raging over their heads. Turning to look at the Major over her shoulder, she bit her lip a little when she saw the look on his face, a look that told her the thunder was rolling and the lighting was getting ready to strike right where they were standing.

"What is it, Jazz?"

The major looked first to the set of two emotions that have been on their tails since they crashed and then to the north where a group was heading right for them, much faster and with a far darker undercurrent. From what he was feeling, they were going to reach them within moments of each other and he wasn't entirely sure which would be first.

Glancing at his mate, Jasper narrowed his eyes, a growl sounding in his throat when he felt the two coming from the side separate and one branch off and redirect to come at them from behind. He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him, "nothing good. Get ready, Sugar."

Before either one knew what happened, Isabella felt her feet leave the ground and a hand cover her mouth. She didn't have time to struggle before she found herself in a tree, crouched on a branch and tucked under a massive body. She tried to pull the hand from her mouth but couldn't get it to budge.

When she whimpered a little, she heard a soft growl in her ear, very close to what Jasper did when she got freaked out, followed by a voice she had never heard before speak quietly in her ear. "You need to stay silent, Young One, or they will catch us."

Another whimper broke free as she tried to turn her head and see who it was but her eyes fell on someone else first crouched next to them, looking hard to the ground just north of the clearing. It took her a moment before she recognized him but when she did, she renewed her efforts to free herself.

He never moved his eyes from the ground, only softly spoke. "You have nothing to fear from us, Stella, but if you do not calm down and stay still, we will all die."

Not able to take anymore, Isabella bit the hand that covered her mouth, gaining a grunt from the one that still wouldn't release her completely, but did move his hand. Looking at the man next to her. "You're one of them."

A teeth flashing smirk parted the man's lips as he shifted his red eyes to her for a moment. "Am I? Then, tell me why I am trying to save your life at the risk of my own."

Shaking her head hard, "I saw you at the airport."

He just shrugged a little before looking back to the clearing. "Looks, Stella, can be deceiving. Now, hush. They near."

Jasper, who was still in the clearing, looked to the trees where his mate was located, narrowing his eyes to see through the leaves, smirking a grin when he saw who the two emotional signatures belonged to. Mustering up a dose of calm, he sent it up to his mate, feeling a response of 'I don't fucking think so' from her. Shaking his head with a chuckle, he simply crossed his arms, ignoring the three in the tree as the actual threat closed the distance and broke the trees.

A cool and cold looking Aro, followed by Jane and Alec, stepped into the ring of trees, a flash of irritation shooting through his eyes at the sight of only the major and the lack of his mate. A cruel smirk curled his lips as he stared at the surprisingly calm vampire before him, "where is your mate, Major?"

The only way he could think of at this point to keep those two little bastards from looking to closely at the area was to play along and actually indulge the fucker for once. Pressing his lips together, Jasper shrugged. "We got separated after the crash."

Humming in his throat, Aro a false look of sorrow settled on his features. "Such a pitty. I was hoping to extend aid to the both of you when I heard of the unfortunate mayday from your flight. However, never fear. Demetri and Felix are about. I am sure they will have no problems locating and returning her to your side, safe and sound."

Giving him an indecipherable smile in return, "I'm positive you're right."

Narrowing his eyes a little in the face of the overly calm demeanor he was witnessing, Aro growled slightly, "shall we await them in a more comfortable, and less dangerous place? There is a little matter that has come to my attention that needs cleared up."

Jasper, knowing exactly what it was, played dumb, "oh? What would that be?"

Smirking wide, "your previous coven has discovered that two of theirs have been killed and the pry smelled so strongly of you and your mate upon discovery that it would only be logical to assume you were present at the time of their deaths. My dear friend Carlisle wished to know how it came about. He and his lovely mate await us in Volterra for answers."

Sighing a little, Jasper shook his head, "my heart bleeds at the news."

Pursing his lips a little, Aro snorted, "I'm sure." Holding his hand out, Aro grinned, "shall we? It shouldn't take long for my tracker to locate your mate and meet us there."

Chuckling a little, Jasper shrugged, "sure. However, I warn that should she be returned to me in anything less than the pristine condition I last saw her in, you will lose both your tacker and enforcer."

Cocking a brow high on his forehead, Aro snipped a little, "you are not currently in the position to be making threats, Major."

Locking his eyes on the pain in the ass', "you know damn well I don't make threats. That, was a fucking promise."

Face going blank, Aro nodded to him, watching with no emotion as the major dropped to his knees with a grunt as Jane unleashed her gift, "and I do not allow anyone to speak to me in such a manner." Holding a hand up after a minute to call Jane off, Aro looked at Alec, "relieve the major of his senses and let us be on our way. Demetri and Felix should have located the female by now."

*X*

From the tree tops, Isabella was giving Felix one hell of time keeping her still as she tried to help her male out of the situation she had witnessed. Finally, after she almost bit him again, he grabbed her by the chin and forced her to turn away from the sight of Jasper being removed from the clearing and look at him, "knock it off. If you go down there now, we all die. Until Aro has you both, Jasper will be fine."

Trying to pull her face free, Isabella snarled at him, "you fucking call that shit FINE?"

Felix just nodded, "he's in one piece. Yes, I call that fine." Looking over to Demetri, "now what?"

Closing his eyes, Demetri located the next group he was after and jerked his head, "that way. The number one thing we have to do now is get her back to the Captain. He's the only one that can tell us the next phase of this little plan of his."

Head snapping to the side, Isabella gaped at him, "Peter? This shit was HIS idea?"

Demetri shrugged a little before dropping to the ground, Isabella and Felix following suit. "You're going to have to ask him what the hell is going on. I am simply doing as I was told and separating you and the Major."

Growling low and dark, "I intend to."

*X*

It was about thirty minutes after she last saw Jasper that Isabella got out of a car back at the same hotel that she and Jasper had stayed at only instead of going through the lobby, she was taking in through a side door so as to avoid the humans milling about because it had been a while since she fed and she was in an emotional bombardment without Jasper there keeping her in check.

She wasn't used to dealing with them so strong or all at once and it was taking its toll.

Once she was on the elevator, she looked up at the tracker first then the enforcer, "so, you're the ones Jasper was talking about? The ones on the guard but not on the guard?"

Demetri nodded a little as he looked up at the numbers, "two of the twelve that are loyal to the Major over the ruler. Aro likes to think he's infallible but just like anyone else, there are ways around his gift."

Biting her lip a little, she cocked her head, "but what about that one chick I heard of that fucks with your emotional ties?"

Felix clicked his tongue a few times, "Chelsea?" When the young vampire shrugged a little at the name, he shrugged back, "Like Demetri said, there are ways around every vampiric gift there is. All you have to do is figure out the bottom line of how it works and you can beat it. Some are harder than others, but all have a gaping hole in it. With her, all you have to do is have a stronger sense of loyalty than she puts on you. Even the major can be beaten if you know the opposite emotion he makes you feel and can counteract it. He is one of the harder ones though because he can throw a number of things at you at once and change them in a blink. I have only ever heard of one vampire that could do it and he isn't alive anymore." Looking down at the major's mate, "don't ever make the mistake of thinking Jasper's strength comes from his gift, it doesn't. He is just a really fucked up little demon. Most fear him because of the stories alone they have heard when in reality, his gift is the least of your problems if you piss him off enough. He can fuck you up without it."

Isabella just nodded at him. That last part she already knew.

When the elevator doors opened, the first thing she saw was Peter standing there, looking very expectant of the snarl that came out of her mouth. When she went to attack him again however, Felix snatched her off her feet again, holding her off the ground as she snapped her teeth, "you son of a bitch."

Peter just let out a hard sigh and crossed his arms, "knock it off and I'll explain."

"You're goddamn right you will. Do you have any idea what happened to him?"

Grunting a little and nodding his head a bit, "I do, but trust me, he would rather it have been him that was taken than you. He can take care of himself for the time being. The stupid prick wants the pair of you so Jasper is going to be fine." Turning his attention to one of the bedrooms, he called out to Garrett before looking back to Felix, "let her go and get out of the way."

The moment her feet were on the ground, the bedroom door was opened and Garrett shoved a group of humans into the room. Peter, Demetri and Felix lept out of the way when the smell of blood reached the youngest vampire in the room that had never in her life felt the full effect of her bloodlust before.

The three seasoned vampires in the rafters of the room watched as Isabella laid absolute waste to the humans, ripping them apart without meaning too and getting more and more pissed off as blood was wasted.

Felix wrinkled his nose a little at the mess before looking over at Peter, "she's over a year old. How is feeding still this hard for her?"

Peter pressed his lips together as yet another human was decapitated and shook his head, "this is the first time she has ever been out of the range of Jasper's gift. Since the day she woke up, he has been controlling and capping her emotions. She hasn't had to deal with the overload of newborn emotions before so she never had to learn to control them on her own, and because of that, she's doing it now." Looking over at the enforcer, "consider this her very first feeding."

Grunting a little, Felix stuck his tongue out a little and shook his head, "yuck." Looking back down to the room, "is she going to get enough in her to calm down or is there gonna be a really pissed off, half fed little monster to deal with?"

Peter snorted a little as he changed his position a little, "she's only just out of her first year without dealing with the shit that comes with it. She's gonna be a pissed off little monster no matter how much she eats until she's back with Jasper." Dropping to the floor, Peter snatched up a human as he went to run past him with a, "you'll do." Using thumb and pinky, he whistled to catch Isabella's attention. When he had it and she did exactly as she was supposed to and try and attack, he held up a hand and looked her dead in the eyes, "stop."

Once she slid to a halt a foot before colliding with him, he maintained eye contact with her as he racked his finger over the jugular vein of the human in his other hand. Not releasing her eyes, he brought the human between them, holding bleeding side to her, "gently, or you'll bite right through again."

Moving with her so that their eyes didn't detach, Peter dipped his head down until there was a proper feeding bite achieved before handing over her meal, stepping back and letting her eat. Once she dropped the body and was looking at him with red eyes instead of black, Peter cocked a brow, "you good?" When she nodded once, Peter looked up, "you can come down now. We got shit to do."


	29. Chapter 29

As they were waiting for the last two vampires to show up, who can never seem to follow fucking directions, Peter was sitting on the railing outside the room, a cigarette between his fingers, his head bobbing a little as he ran through every last detail of the plan that he had just laid out for the others, making sure he didn't miss anything. Shifting his eyes up to the doors, he put his cigarette between his lips and took a hit, "are you gonna come out or just kinda stand there?"

Crossing her arms as she leaned against the door frame, Isabella just looked at him a moment longer before she cocked her head to the side, "how did you do that?"

Cocking a brow at her, "make you stop, you mean?" When she nodded, Peter smirked, "have you forgotten that I'm your sire?" Her glare was enough to tell him that no, she hadn't. Hopping down from the rail and stomping out his cigarette, "that's how. I know you don't like me, however, whether you like me or hate me, we have a bond that cannot be broken while we are both still alive and will last until you reach your first century. In all technicality, I am the one that should have raised you during the last year, not Jasper. However, since you're his mate, I let him do his thing and raise you as he saw fit. Would I have done things differently? You bet your little ass I would have however, since that's not what happened and you were raised away from me instead of by me, you don't understand, or even know, the connection between a sire and their childe."

Lips puckering and nose wrinkling, Isabella twitched a little, "I don't get what you're saying. What bond? A bond would mean that I felt something towards you other than homicide."

Holding his arms out to the side, Peter smiled a bullshit smile, "case in fucking point, Sugar. Now, I ain't saying that you're supposed to worship the ground I walk on or anything like it, but the level of your hatred towards me is, in fact, extremely annoying and, believe this or not, actually fucking hurts." Waving a finger back and forth between himself and Isabella, "this is no different than a human parent and their child. I can't hurt you anymore than Jasper can and you want me fucking dead and there is literally nothing I can do about it because I didn't raise you so our connection is completely one sided unless I force it just like I did an hour ago. Why the fuck do you think I didn't fight back the other day when we both know that I could have, very easily, stopped you?"

Giving him a face that was full of disbelieving attitude, Isabella cocked a brow at him, "so you're saying that you actually like me?"

Peter snorted and crossed his arms, shaking his head, "oh, no. I fucking hate you. But, can you really blame me at this point after you tried to kill me the other day? The point, though, is that neither one of us SHOULD hate the other. However, no matter how I actually feel towards you, unlike you, I can't act on it for another ninety nine years. My mind won't let me because it sees you as my child, for lack of a better term, and it is hell bent on protecting you just like any father would. I'm not a fan but I can't change it so I stay away, not because Jasper told me to, at least not anymore, but because it actually causes me physical pain to see the hate you hold for me in your eyes."

Crossing his arms and leaning back on the railing, Peter sighed hard before looking in her eyes, "name one time in the last thirteen months, two weeks, four days and seventeen hours that I did anything that actually hurt you, that gave you the reason you hold onto to the hate for me like you do."

Jaw dropping a little, Isabella stared at him for a moment before scoffing, "you killed me."

Peter waved a dismissive hand in the air, "irrelevant. You knew that from the day you woke up. This is a new development and I want to know what it was. Knowing probably won't change it but I am curious enough to ask. If it comes to the reason you were changed, that too is irrelevant because, out of all the reasons a human gets changed, the reason you were is actually one of the better ones. The only one on one interaction we had, you weren't pissed off, you were scared and I actually meant the apology I gave you over that."

Scratching the back of her head, Isabella pushed off the doorframe and walked over to the railing and snagged one of Peter's cigarettes before leaning on her forearms on the railing top. Licking her lips a little with a quiet tisk, she huffed a sigh, "you can't actually expect me to be thankful to you over this. You saw the last year and everything I was put through. Believe me, if I was able to hate Jasper, I would have probably hated him too. Trust me, there was no lack of trying on my part in that either. I had to direct it at someone and since you're the one that did it, you seemed like the best option."

Peter looked down at her and nodded, "I get that, trust me. I didn't like Jasper for a really long time after I woke up either. We were both raised the same way, Sugar. The difference is, I was raised by my sire and you weren't. What I should have done was put my foot down like a good daddy and told him no. Since you weren't mated yet, what I said would have been the long and the short of it. And no, I don't expect thankfulness over a damn thing but it would be nice not to see my only child what me dead. I also don't expect the way things are to change anytime soon but, again, it would be nice for my kid not to hate me, at least not until I can actually defend myself against a tantrum."

Brow creasing a little, Isabella looked up at him, "Jasper has killed those he's turned before."

Peter shook his head, "no he hasn't. I have. I killed his, he killed everyone else's. If a sire kills their childe before the bond breaks at the century mark, a piece of them dies as well. Now, that's not to say he never has. However, Jasper was a shell when I was turned and him killing his children would explain why, actually." Pausing for a moment to think that one through, he shook his head again, "but, I guess unless you want to ask him about it, we'll never know for sure if he has or not. Makes sense though."

Running a hand down her face and propping her chin in her hand, Isabella took a hit from her cigarette and sighed as she blew out the smoke, "so what do we do now?"

Peter shrugged, "fuck if I know. Other than finishing this shit that Jasper's been working on for the last few months, I got nothing."

Isabella snorted a little, "I still can't believe he actually planned this shit."

Laughing a little, "he didn't plan this exact scenario. At least I doubt he planned on crashing into the lion's den. The original plan was for him to go back for his army first, THEN go to where he is now. Everything now is a blind spot with less than half the forces he was planning on having. Now, more than before, we gonna have to rely on you and your gift to get through this."

Head snapping up, eyes wide and face colored in shock, Isabella snarked, "I don't have a gift."

Peter rolled his eyes before cocking a brow at her, "the fuck you don't. Every vampire with a gifted sire has a gift. You mean to tell me that you're a year old and haven't figured that out yet? Jesus Christ did Jasper do a piss poor job of taking my place."

"What the fuck is it?"

Scratching his brow with his thumb, "it comes from you following what you were told without question as a human. You have the gift of persuasion. You can talk and talk and talk and by the time you're done, whoever was listening to you will agree with you, no matter what you're talking about. Your little speech before that had everyone ready to walk out into the sun was the last bit of proof needed when you had Garrett agreeing with you. I'm willing to bet you could even talk Alistair into coming out from under his rock."

Isabella's face scrunched up a little at the new name, "who?"

Shaking his head a little, Peter grunted, "a nomad I know. Not important at the moment. Seriously, you were never told you had a gift?" His lip curled when Bella shook her head. "Besides teaching you how to fight, what the fuck has Jasper actually taught you?" Looking down at her, his face turned very serious, "tell me the truth, if something were to happen to him, would you be able to make it on your own?" When he saw her shrug a little, he growled, "I'm going to beat his ass. I am going to save him and then I am going to kill him."

Growling a little more, Peter looked at his watch and shook his head, "we'll talk more later. For now, it's time to go. We'll just have to do this with two less than we thought."

*X*

Huddled in the trees just beyond the walls of the city, the congression of vampires and shapeshifters waited until the sun set before the plan was put into action.

Pulling on the guard cloak that was handed to her, Isabella groaned and turned to Peter, "Jasper isn't going to like this."

Peter shrugged, "I don't give a fuck. You have a job to do and you're gonna do it. You need to first deal with the one that affects vampiric loyalty then you need to get Jasper out of the sublevels of the palace. I will deal with Jasper later but for now, you do whatever you have to to free him because we cannot do this without him. Once you get him out, tell him to give the signal and we'll begin phase two." Rounding on Demetri, "anything happens to her and Jasper will be the least of your problems, get me?"

Nodding as he set a hand on Isabella's back and giving her a push forward, "not a hair out of place, Captain." Looking over at Felix, "we'll go in the back way. You find Chelsea and meet us on the level above the dungeons."

As the three of them started running to the gates of the city, Felix looked over, "where do I need to avoid?"

Humming a little, Demetri looked to the towers of the palace, "everyone that you really need to worry about are in the throne room, probably waiting for us to arrive. It would be my advice to avoid everyone you can, though. No need to take unnecessary risks."

Nodding as they went through the gates, Felix rounded on the gatekeeper, snapping the human's neck before he could radio in about their arrival. Coming back out, he jerked his head to the side, "get a move on and good luck."

Grabbing Isabella's wrist and pulling her along with him, Demetri glanced over his shoulder, "you too, my friend."

Sliding along the wall for as long as they could, Isabella followed along behind Demetri as he changed his course and started to dart between the buildings. Sliding to a stop when he did, she bit her lip when he crouched down and pulled up a sewer grate, "is this going to work?"

Looking up at her with an unreadable expression, Demetri sighed a little, "let us hope." Poking his head down the hole and looking to make sure that there was no one there, he pulled back, "after you."

Giving the alley they were in a once over, she let out of nervus breath before jumping into the darkness, pressing her back the wall as Demetri pulled a monkey worthy maneuver and pulled the grate closed before dropping down in front of her. Following after him once he started moving again, Isabella clicked her tongue once before falling into step next to him instead of behind him and glanced over from the corner of her eye, "so, this was probably something to ask before, but, you really ARE on our side, right? Like, I don't have to kill you for being a fucking liar, do I?"

Chuckling a little, Demetri grinned at her, "no, you don't. I have been a very loyal friend to Jasper since he saved my ass about eighty years ago when my fellow guard members left me to die. I owe him my life and until that debt is repaid, I'm firmly on Jasper's side."

Cocking a brow at him as they changed directions, she nodded, "well, that's good then." Stopping when Demetri held out an arm and looked around a corner, Isabella lowered her voice, "so, what's the plan, exactly? I don't really care for such vague orders."

Sweeping his arm around and pushing her back to the wall, Demetri glanced at her, "those orders weren't vague. They told you exactly what we're gonna do. Felix is gonna get Chelsea to you. You're gonna do that persuasion thing and talk her into releasing the guards of their ties to the rulers and then we're gonna get Jasper out if his little cage. And we're gonna do it however the fuck we can without dying in the process. Any more questions?"

Blinking a little and shaking her head, Isabella tisked, "nope. Got it."

Chuckling a little, Demetri smirked, "good. Then let's go,"

Pulling her once again along behind him, Demetri navigated the tunnel system until he reached to the door that led into the palace. This is where shit was gonna get a little more difficult because it was here that there was going to be serious obstacles between them and the lower levels. This was the closest they could get to them without being inside so, taking his time, he slowly pushed the door open a crack and took a deep sniff of the air. He might have an evolved version of the tracking gift that he used, but he still had the heightened senses of one that he could use as a backup if needed.

When he didn't smell anyone close to them, he pushed the door open enough to slip inside, pushing it closed once Isabella was in. Looking down at her, he locked eyes, "follow my lead." When she nodded, he looked both directions for a moment before going right, "this way."

Focusing strictly on his gift as he jogged through the halls and down a flight of steps, he located Felix and Chelsea within the palace, as well as getting a basic location of everyone else, so he knew where they stood. Finding that Felix and Chelsea were together, he let out a little sigh before he sucked in a breath.

 _Oh, mother fucker._ Sprinting as fast as he could the rest of the way down the steps, ignoring the out cry of shock from Isabella, he yanked her out of the main hall and into a side one, pulled his hood over her head before picking her up by the hips and pressed her into the wall, taking her wrists and holding them above her head. He knew this was a bad idea, but it was only way he could think of to get the desired result.

Eyes wide and full of 'what the fuck', she went to open her mouth to say just that, only to be stopped by Demetri's lips pressing to her own. All she could do was blink at him, but he wasn't even looking at her. His eyes were locked on the opening that she was just violently pulled through and put in the most awkward position of her entire life. It wasn't until Demetri growled something fierce that she figured out what the hell was going on.

There was someone else in the hall.

She didn't even have to act annoyed at the moment, she really was. So, when Demetri pulled back, she growled at him and tried to get free.

The fact that she figured out what she had to do was nothing short of astonishing to him. Turning with a glare, he narrowed his eyes at Santiago when he turned to see who was growling at him.

Blinking a little, Santiago started at the sight of the tracker that was supposed to have been back hours ago. Cocking his head and crossing his arms, "Does Master Aro know you're back? He was starting to get pissed."

Demetri just cocked a brow at the moron and then snarled a little at Isabella when she went to bite him.

Snapping his eyes to the female against the wall, Santiago smirked and chuckled a little, "uh huh. I'll keep your presence to myself for now. Have fun."

Demetri watched as Santiago walked away, his chuckle still bouncing off the walls, waiting until he heard the door at the top of the steps close before he pulled completely away from the now really irritated female.

Growling at Demetri again, Isabella shoved him hard in the chest so he slammed into the opposite wall, "you son of a bitch."

Dusting off his shirt and glaring back, Demetri snapped, "how the fuck else was I supposed to get you to fight?"

With a scoff filled chuckle, Isabella shook her head a little "we NEVER speak of this."

Looking at her like she was an idiot, Demetri snorted, "no shit. The whole point of this is NOT to die, and Jasper will kill us both."

"I didn't do anything." When she saw Demetri cock a brow at her, she dropped her head back on her shoulders, "right, like he'll care." Shaking her head, she looked back at him, "where to now?"

Looking back out into the halls, Demetri said nothing as he slipped around the corner with just a wave of his hand. Weaving through the halls, Demetri reached behind his neck and unlatched his necklace and held it back, "put this on. You're going to pretend to be a new recruit and face Chelsea on your own. If she sees you with me, she'll figure out who you are and then it'll be game over."

Doing what she was told and putting his necklace on, she whispered, "how will we know if this works or not? You and Felix aren't affected by her gift to tell us for sure."

Demetri glanced over his shoulder at her, "just because we aren't affected doesn't mean we don't feel her gift trying to work so we would be able to tell. Besides, if talking to her doesn't work, no tears will be shed if you just remove her head from her shoulders."

Giving him a flat look, "then why don't we just start with that and save time." Then something occurred to her that she hadn't heard brought up yet, "question." When she heard a hum, she continued, "if the guards feel the ties break, won't Aro feel it too?"

Cocking his head to the side and slowing his pace as they neared the spot Felix was bringing Chelsea, Demetri pursed his lips a little. After another moment, he made a little noise in his throat, "huh, I would imagine so." Then he shrugged a little, "but by the time he figured out what was going on, it would be too late to do anything about it. 98% of the guard are only here because they are forced to be. Before their ties were fucked with, they had refused the position. My guess is when they have that loyalty removed and they see the guard cloak on, they are gonna be pissed and Aro only has gifted vampires on the guard, sans Felix. He's just a really big mother fucker."

At that Isabella grunted, "I noticed."

Stopping completely and slipping into a side hall, Demetri looked at her, "if things start to get out of hand, I got your back, alright?"

Letting out a breath and rolling her shoulders a little, Isabella nodded once and moved further down the hall before leaning on her shoulders and propping her foot up against the wall, crossing her arms and waited for this chick to show up.

It didn't take but another minute or two before she was looking into the red, confused and slightly irritated eyes of the bonding vampire.

Chelsea looked at the new face done up in the robe of a guard and narrowed her eyes, "who are you?"

Isabella just shrugged a little, "no one important. Just someone that wanted to talk to you, if you have the time, of course."

Lip curling a little as she stared, it took a moment more for Chelsea to figure out who this was. Hissing hard, "I know who are. I don't know how you got free of Demetri and Felix, but you won't get free of me."

Nodding once, Isabella cocked her head to the side, "fair enough. However, before you do your thing, answer me one question first, if you would be so kind." Seeing the pause for what it was, Isabella sighed a little through her nose, "I know what you can do, I know you're here by choice, but I am curious as to why you willing surrender your will to a man that is, obviously, so very far beneath you."

Growling a little, Chelsea snarled, "how dare you? Aro is my Master and..."

Cutting her off before she got to far down that road, "why though?" At the other vampires pause, Isabella cocked her head again, "I mean, if you think about it, Aro would be nothing without you here. So, why do you serve him?"

A nasty little smirk pulled Chelsea's lips apart and showed some of her teeth, "trust me, he makes it worth my while."

Lifting both her brows, "does he?" At her nod, "so, you're happy to be his whore then?"

"I am no one's whore."

Cocking a single brow at her, "aren't you? You prostitute your wares to a man for monetary gain. He has turned you into nothing more than a common streetwalker without the corner to stand on. Over time, he has become your John, presenting you with your clients; one, two, perhaps more at a time and you, by your own choice, bond them for payment. How is that not the same as a human pimp and his whores? Also, just like that human pimp would be nothing without his girls, Aro would be nothing with you. I will be honest. I am looking for differences, but all I am finding is similarities."

Looking at her nails as she allowed that to sink in, Isabella glanced at her from the corner of her eye, "I want you to take a moment and think about something real quick. You are the one that keeps the guard loyal to a monster that would sooner drop a match on anyone of them should his own life be in danger. You are the one that gives him his power, so really, YOU are the power here. You are the one that takes away the will and forced the bonds of loyalty and respect on the most powerful vampires in the world while he sits on his ass and pretends to matter when the one reason he does is because of you."

Pushing herself off the wall and clasping her hands behind her back, Isabella slowed walked over to, then around the silent vampire, lifting a hand and running it over her shoulder, lowering her voice and whispering in her ear, "he made you a whore and you don't see it, but I do. I see the toll his orders have taken on you," moving her lips to her other ear, "I see the suffering in your eyes as you gift drains you of your energy, even so soon after feeding. Every bond, every time, every single one taking its piece of you with it and while it weakens you, he grows stronger in power and force. The more they resist, the more it takes to control them, the more it takes from you. How much will you give? How much more do you have to give?"

Swallowing hard and thick, Chelsea whispered, "no one ever noticed before."

Sliding around to stand in front of Chelsea locked their eyes and lowered her voice even more, "they aren't allowed to. They don't have the will, the desire, to notice. He won't let them take the time, the single moment, the split second of their lives to see that your eyes don't shine when fed, don't bleed with your meal because if they did, they would know. If they knew, they would revolt and try and free you because no one, no gentleman would see a lady suffer so needlessly. And it is, needless. You don't have to serve him. He can't make you. He can't force you. You have the choice, Chelsea, to walk away, to free yourself of the budon he puts on you everyday. You have that choice. You can take your life back and live free of the drain and on your own terms, away from his."

Bottom lip trembling a little as she stared into the red eyes of her next ordered victim, Chelsea shook her head, "I don't know anything else. This has been my life since I woke up. This is my life."

A small smile lifted the corner of Isabella's lips as her eyes softened a little, "it doesn't have to be, Sugar. You made him great. You made him powerful. You made him feared. He made you a whore. How is that in anyway a fair trade? You're dying inside and he sits high on a throne you built for him." Tilting her head a little and reaching up and cupping Chelsea's cheek, "free yourself of the ties that bind you and be free of the burdens that are not now, or have ever been yours to bare. If he is a great as you say, he doesn't need you to keep the guard here. They'll stay on their own. You aren't the one that should carry this weight, he is. He's the king. It's his job, not yours. I can't force you to listen to me, but you need to ask yourself a very simple question. Do you want to be free or be his whore?"

Swallowing hard again, Chelsea licked her lips with a little sigh, "I never thought of it that way before."

Nodding slowly once, Isabella smiled at her again, "I know, Sugar. But, now that you have, what will you do? Add yet another burden to your already overwhelming number and force me to bow to your pimp or walk away and find yourself, find that place in the world in which you truly belong? Because your place, Chelsea, isn't here. It never has been and it never will be. No amount of treasure or trinket will change the fact that you don't belong here to suffer, to die a slow death with every bond you tie as Aro grows stronger with the same."

Leaning in close, Isabella trailed the tip of her nose along Chelsea's cheek until her lips were once again by her ear, "be free, Chelsea, of the horrors and pain that you don't deserve. You didn't ask for this, so you owe nothing. Take back the life was stolen from you for no reason other than greed and live it; truly live it."

When Isabella pulled back again, Chelsea looked into her eyes, searching for and seeing the truth and conviction she felt at her words. Dropping her eyes and licking her lips once before pulling her bottom one between her teeth, Chelsea reached up and fingered her pendant for her a moment before looking back at Isabella, "the Major in two floors below you. In ten minutes he will be taken to the throne room where Aro will expect me to change his loyalties and force his hand to tell him where you are." Ripping the necklace off and dropping it to the ground, "Alec is the only guard. Good luck."

Nodding once, Isabella crossed her arms and cocked her head as she watched Chelsea ghost down the hall and out of sight. Pursing her lips a little, "huh, that was easy." Looking over her shoulder as Demetri and Felix came from the shadows, she clicked her tongue one, "so, what now?"

Looking up at Felix for a second, Demetri looked back at Isabella, "believe it or not, this is the easy part."


	30. Chapter 30

Standing not ten feet from the door that separated them from the Major, Isabella, Demetri and Felix stood with faces of contemplation as to how exactly they were going to finish the first phase of their rescue mission. None of the three of them knew where his true loyalty lies, if he was there by choice or if he was under Chelsea's power and until they did, they needed to be cautious.

After a full minute of silence, Demetri looked at Felix and cocked a brow, "I got an idea. Go knock and tell him to pull it back. I'll take it from there. You just follow my lead."

Shrugging a little, Felix did as he was told and went to the door, banging on it a couple of times before calling out, "hey fuckhead. Pull it back."

Isabella looked up at Demetri and cocked her head a little, "what should I do?"

At that, he smirked, "oh, you'll know." With that, once there was a confirmation of safety against Alec's gift, Demetri grabbed Isabella by the arm and drug her to the now open door and shoved her inside with enough force for her to lose her balance and hit the ground and slide to a stop a few feet from her point of impact. Looking down his nose at her for a second, he then lifted his eyes to Alec and his surprised expression, "got room for one more?"

Snarling, Isabella pushed herself up onto her hands, lifting her torso off the floor but before she could round on Demetri, her eyes landed on Jasper behind the bars of a cell just over two feet from her current position. He was leaning against the wall with his head in his hands, shaking it a few times and blinking his eyes. Swallowing hard, she whispered, "Jasper." Moving her eyes to the vampire at the end of the corridor, she bared her teeth, "what did you do to him?"

Alec just grinned at her before looking at Demetri, "took your ass long enough. Master Aro is one pissed off son of a bitch over how long you were taking."

Snorting a little, Demetri cocked a brow, "I would love to see him try and track down a vampire through the stench of burning forest and gas. That shit ain't easy and takes a little time."

Pursing his lips a little and nodding slightly, Alec just shrugged, "I'll give you that one. However, you are supposed to take her to straight to him."

Demetri shrugged, "tried. He was busy." When the female on the ground snarled again before attempting to lunge at Alec, Demetri flashed forward and snatched her up and slammed her into the wall before looking over at Alec again, "just open the fucking door already."

Growling low and deep, Isabella whispered to Demetri, "I am going to kill you, you backstabbing son of a bitch."

Glancing over at Alec as he pulled a key out of his jacket pocket, he got close to her ear, "shut up."

Trying to push herself off the wall, she shook her head, "no. I don't care anymore. I am going to hurt you."

Chuckling a little, "we'll see." Turning his head from her hair, he jerked his head towards Felix once the key to the cells was out, telling him to make his move.

Once Alec's back was turned, Felix darted up behind him, waited until the cell was unlocked and, with a twist of his wrist, Alec's body fell to the floor while his head was still in Felix's hand. Turning it to look at him, Felix smirked, "don't take it personally, man. I just don't like you." Then he tossed the head to Demetri and bent down and picked up the rest of the vampire, digging around in the jacket and pulled out the phone and crushed it in his hand, "better be on the safe side with this little bastard."

When Demetri let go of Isabella to catch the head that was thrown to him, Isabella whirled around and planted her foot dead center of his chest and kicked him across the room, nearly cackling at the grunt that came out when he slammed into the opposite wall before dropping to the ground. Floating over to him and crouching down, she grabbed a fistfull of hair and lifted his head, locking her eyes on his, "if I didn't know for a fact that my ass would be on the line too, I would totally tell Jasper what you did. There are ALWAYS other options." Snapping her teeth at the tip of his nose, she let him go before darting into the cell that held the Major.

Rubbing the back of his head and glaring a little towards the cell, Demetri growled, "little bitch." Shaking his head when there was an unamused snort in response, he climbed to his feet and, after rubbing his chest that probably had a crack in it, waved off Felix's question about what she was talking about before going over to the cell himself and ignored the warning growl at his presence.

Squatting down and draping his arms over his thighs, he looked at the female from the corner of his eye when she asked what was wrong with Jasper once again. Giving his head a little shake, "the effects of Alec's gift take longer to wear off than they do to kick in. He'll be out of it for another few minutes as his senses reboot. However, we don't have that kind of time to wait. We gotta go, now." Looking over his shoulder as he once again removed his jacket, "toss your cape over him to cover his scent and follow me." Draping his jacket over Isabella's shoulders once again, he grabbed her out of the way before leaving the cell, grabbing Alec's head and tossing it in the one that Felix put his body and shut the door, locking it and, after Felix had the major over his shoulder, reclosed that cell door and threw the key inside once it was locked.

As Isabella watched him, she tilted her head a little, "what the fuck are you doing?"

Flashing to the door and looking out into the main hall, "taking away one of the two biggest threats we have left. Those bars are designed to restrain vampires meaning they cannot be broken or destroyed by one and that is the only key. If they can't get to it, they can't get him out."

Lip curling as she followed behind him, "then why was there a guard?"

Rolling his eyes a little, "Alec wasn't a guard. He was there to keep the Major from being able to access his gift. When Alec takes your senses, he takes them all and Jasper's empathy is a sixth sense since he uses it automatically and without thought. If you need something to compare it to, take my tracking ability and your little gift of gab. My ability is a sense of mine so Alec's gift would dull it to the point I couldn't use it. However, your persuasion is tied to the tone you speak in. Your conviction is what makes it work. You have to believe in what you say to convince others to believe it too so it isn't one of your senses. At least, that's what it seemed like when I heard you talking to Chelsea before. You would need to talk to your sire to get to the bottom of your gift. That's the only vampire on the planet that can help you with it."

Sliding to a stop when he did so she didn't slam into him, she made a little noise at that, "what do you mean by that?"

Glancing over his shoulder for a moment before turning and pulling his hood up over her head, he turned back and looked around the blind corner, "it has to do with the connection every sire has with their offspring. It comes from the venom. Until you reach your first one hundredth year, your venom is your sire's. It doesn't become your own until then." Looking back at her again, confusion clear on his face, "how do you not already know this?"

Looking away from his eyes, Isabella blew out a hard puff of air from her nose, "long story." Once Demetri started moving again, she licked her lips, "were you raised by your sire or the Volturi?"

Finding that a very odd question, he shrugged anyways as he picked up his pace, "my sire, as everyone is, or should I say, as they should be. My sire helped me develop my tracking ability into what it is now before I was discovered by the Volturi. Had I not had that time with him, I wouldn't have the kind of ability I have. Only the sire can develop a newborn's gift because they are the only ones that understand how it works and it is their job to make sure that the newborn does before they reach the end of their first century. If they don't or can't, it makes them feel like a failure. Our connection to our sires, for that first hundred years, it the most important thing we have. That is the only thing that we can count on, even when mated before the bond fades, to always be there. We like to think we're different than the humans we eat, but there are so many things we have in common with them and our need for our parent is the biggest. We cannot survive without them." After taking a moment to focus on his path out of the sublevels, Demetri cleared his throat, "can I assume you weren't raised by yours so far?"

Isabella was silent for a moment as she looked over her shoulder at Jasper who was hanging over Felix's before shaking her head, "no."

Nodding as he got to the last door in their way, he turned around and looked at her, "listen to me, very carefully. If we do get out of this alive, you need to find your sire and you need to listen to whatever he or she has to say. Jasper might not like it, but if he really cares about you, he won't stop you. You need your sire just as much, if not more, than you need him. There are things that Jasper can't do for you that your sire can, and will, if you do what I said. Trust me, your sire feels your absence and it kills them."

Lifting a brow a little, "you're a sire, aren't you?"

Demetri nodded once, "I am and I haven't seen my childe in over seventy years, and have felt every single one. Do both of you a favor and let yourself feel the connection you share and let your sire guide you, as is its job."

If he was going to say anything else, it was cut off by a groan behind Isabella as Jasper started to come out of the fog he had been in longer than any other vampire ever had before. Setting a hand on his back, Felix shifted Jasper fro his shoulder and set him on the floor, propping him against the wall as the last bit of distance left his eyes.

Crouching down in front of Jasper, Isabella looked up at Demetri, "I'll make you a deal. I'll do what you said when it comes to my sire if, when this is over, you find your childe and do your job for however long you have left."

Crossing his arms and nodding, Demetri smirked, "deal."

Smiling a little, Isabella turned to Jasper and tapped his cheek a few times to wake him up the rest of the way, "come on, Jazz. We don't really have time for this. Wake up. I know you haven't slept in nearly two centuries and it's nice and all, but nap time is over, Fucker."

With another grunt, Jasper batted her hand away from his face before rubbing it with his hands and grunted a little, "I really hate that little bastard." Blinking the last of the haze from his sight, he shook his head and looked at his mate, that was right in his face and cocked a brow at her in a guard's cloak, "switching teams on me, Baby Girl?"

Snorting a little and shaking her head, Isabella cocked a brow, "you're one to talk. I'm just following you."

Looking down and lifting the cape he was in with two fingers, his lip curled, "I feel the need to die right now."

With a noise in his throat as he looked behind him, Felix snorted, "that can be arranged if we don't get our asses in gear and get the fuck out of here. If you want to have the advantage, we need to get to the trees."

Eyes going wide, Isabella's head snapped to Felix, "oh shit," looking back at Jasper, "Peter said to have you give the signal to begin phase two."

Nodding and slowly getting to his feet, Jasper shook his head and looked at his mate, "can't do it here." Turning to Demetri, "we need to get outside."

Like those were the magic words, the lights went out and there was a god awful loud noise that had Isabella covering her ears and nearly jumping out of her skin, "the fuck is this?"

Demetri and Felix both groaned before Felix looked at Jasper, "that is going to be easier said than done, Major. They know... everything."

Isabella looked at him, "what everything?"

This time it was Demetri that answered, "that the guard has been dispatched and the Major here has gotten out of his cage." Looking at Jasper, "we're gonna have a hell of a time getting out of here. There was a small percentage that was here by choice but the small percentage is not a small number."

Pursing his lips with a little growl, Jasper removed Felix's cape from his shoulders and tossed it to him before pulling his shirt off to give him less of a restriction in his movements. Looking at his mate, he crooked a finger under his chin and turned her head up to face him, "we'll lead them to where we want them. You get the forces and wait for my signal."

Grunting her disapproval, She shook her head, "but, Jasp..."

Cocking a brow at her, "we don't have time to debate this. Just do it."

Choking back her response, Isabella just nodded once, "yes, Major." Pulling her chin free and turning to Demetri and Felix, she sighed hard before shaking her head, "how the fuck do I get out of here?"

Felix glared at Jasper a little as Demetri answered, "go straight down this hall and take a right at the second passage you come to. You going to come to a fork at the end of it, go to the left. The path of least resistance would be the window just shy of the door at the end of that corridor. It will take you out to the gardens. The Captain and everyone else are waiting on the other side of the northern wall about five miles out." When she went to give him back his jacket, he shook his head, "it covers your scent with mine so you shouldn't have to worry about being followed until you get outside. My guess is that's going to be about the time Aro and his pets know who's with them and who isn't."

Nodding a little as she put the hood back up, she turned back to Jasper, "be careful."

Smirking a little, Jasper pulled her to him and dipped his head, butting his nose to hers before pecking her lips, "never."

With a snort, Isabella pulled away and when Demetri gave her the all clear, she shoved the door open and bolted down the hall, following the direction she was given out into the night, allowing herself to be overcome with the connection to her sire to lead her right to him.

*X*

Once Isabella was out of sight, Felix looked at the Major, "you're an asshole."

Jasper just shrugged a little as he knelt on the steps and extended his freshly woken gift to it full reaches, finding out just how many there were. Glancing up at him, "my relationship with my mate is not for you to judge. She knows that there are times to question and times to follow orders. This just happens to be one of the latter."

Grunting a little with a shake of his head, Felix huffed a snort, "there is never a time you should talk to your mate like you just did, especially since she did just risk her life to save your ass. To blindly follow orders in a place she doesn't know with the danger level as high as it is, you should have at least heard what she had to say. You cannot expect her not to have fear in her veins with the situation being what it is."

Narrowing his eyes as he focused on what he was feeling and where they were coming from, "that is exactly what I expect."

Sneering a little, "than you expect to much of a female her age. I do not rightly give a fuck if she's used to it or not. That doesn't negate the fact that she is a just over a year old with no understanding of her potential because of her lack of interaction with her sire. Something I will assume you had something to do with."

Head snapping to look up at him, Jasper growled a little, "excuse me?"

Felix shrugged, "the simple fact that she was questioning US about the connection she should have and everything she should know for her age and doesn't is proof enough that she has had next to no interaction with the one that made her and as a result, doesn't even know how her gift works."

Lip curling a little, Jasper scoffed, "she isn't gifted,"

Again, Felix snorted hard, "and my point is proven. I get she's your mate and you think you know what's best, but all you're really doing by denying her time with her sire is hurting her in the long run. I'm going to go ahead and assume she has a male sire and you don't want her having interaction with a male without you, but really, that is exactly what she needs if you want her to be the mate, or even just be the vampiress she can be. You can't give her what her sire can, and you will never be able to. Lucky for you, she's still young enough to have a chance at undoing the damage you have caused her over petty jealousy."

Growling louder, Jasper snapped his teeth a little, "watch it, Felix."

Cocking a brow at him, "or what? Are you seriously going to get pissed off over someone standing up for your mate when needed and she cannot do it for herself? Get over yourself, Jasper. Believe it or not, you are not the at all, end all of this. You need to move past the irritation of the facts in the matter and realize this is one thing you cannot do on your own and if you continue to try, all you will accomplish in the end is the destruction of two vampires, one of which you claim to care about. I know you don't really care who you hurt but I would like to assume she, if no one else, would be exempt from that."

Growling again, Jasper glared at him but dropped the subject in lieu of the fact they needed to move. "You can attempt to try and make me regret my choices regarding my mate later. For now, we got company."


	31. Chapter 31

Slowing her stride as she neared her destination, Isabella crossed her arms, glaring at the ground as she strolled at a human pace through the trees, grumbling under her breath about dickheads and no respect.

When she reached the clearing that everyone was waiting in, she lifted her eyes and growled a little when Garrett asked her if everything went according to plan. Glaring over her shoulder, "oh, yeah. Just fucking perfect. The major is free, running the show and still an ungrateful asshole. Couldn't have gone better." Looking around for one particular vampire, she cocked a brow when she didn't see him, "where's the Captain?"

Garrett scratched his temple before pointing to the east, "he went that way. You should be able to find him if you follow your nose."

 _Or something else._ Nodding to him in thanks, she headed out of the clearing and into the trees, finding Peter lounging in a tree just out of earshot from everyone else. Leaning against the truck just below him and glaring at the ground, Isabella growled again, "The Major's back from lala land. Told me to get you guys and head for the clearing to await his signal."

Looking down at her, Peter cocked a brow, "someone sounds a little testy."

Glaring harder and growl growing, "someone is a little pissed off." Looking up into the tree, "not that I expected much different, but he could have at least been a little fucking grateful and not such a dick."

Peter snorted, "you know better than just about anyone how he is. Getting pissed off and upset over it will only cause you to lose focus."

"You sound just like him."

Shrugging a shoulder, he dropped to the ground and looked at her, cocking his head to the side, "nice outfit." Chuckling a little when she gave him the finger, Peter crossed his arms and sighed, "look, think of it this way. He showed you his gratefulness over the rescue by not getting pissed off about the fact you kissed Demetri."

Scoffing hard and narrowing her eyes, "okay one, I didn't do shit. That was all him." Then she looked down and shook her head, "and we didn't tell him about it. You know what he would have done if we had. You and I wouldn't be having this conversation if he knew," lifting her eyes, "would we?" Sighing a little and looking off to the side, "god, why does he always have to be such a fucking prick? It's not like I actually asked for this. Or that I wanted to be his mate for that fucking matter. He acts like he's so much better than me, all the fucking time and I have had it up to here with his goddamn attitude and stance that I'm so far below the shit on the bottom of his boot that he doesn't need to even say a simply fucking thank you."

Peter just stood there and listened as she aired her irritation and upset. Truthfully, he didn't blame her for any of it. He even agreed with most of it. It wasn't until she pushed off the tree and really started ranting that he brow cocked a little.

"And another fucking thing. I already fucking had daddy issues stemming from humanity and then, because he is a bull headed son of a bitch, he only made it worse. Demetri told me all the fuck about how important this bond thing is and as a sire himself, he has to know that shit too. Like, seriously, I want to hurt him. I have never wanted to actually hurt him before. Well, okay, that's not completely true, but still, the point is, I want to dick punch him."

Wincing a little at that, Peter shook his head, "Jasper is a bull headed son of bitch. This is not news to you, Miss. Bella."

Rounding on him, she snorted out a huff, "no, don't you dare fucking defend him, not this time. Besides, how can you? You're the one that told me that you actually feel real pain because of how I feel about you and," pointing the way she came, "he's the reason I fucking hate you." Scrubbing her face with her hands, she gave him a look that he couldn't decipher before she shook her head with a sigh, "I think I figured out why I don't like you. If you still want to know, I think I have the answer you wanted."

Waving a hand to her, Peter clicked his tongue, "by all means."

Crossing her arms and looking at the ground as she ordered her thoughts, Isabella lifted her eyes and looked at him through her lashes, "on some subconscious level, I know I need you and you aren't there. Because some layer of my brain knows that you're supposed to be, and you aren't, it trickled into my conscience mind and manifested into hate because I don't know how else to see your absence other than abandonment. If you're like a human parent, I can't be much different than a human kid and human kids that are abandoned by a parent tend to hate them."

Looking back down at the ground and kicking the dirt with the toe of her boot, she sighed again, "Demetri told me that the bond between a sire and their childe is the most important connection we have, that we need it to survive. So, in a roundabout way, the fact that ours is shredded like it is, gives part of me the indication that you don't care if I survive or not." Looking back up at him, "so I hate you because I don't know how else to feel about that."

Rubbing his forehead a few times before running his hand down his face, Peter propped his chin in his palm and just looked at his daughter for a long moment, not saying anything as he ran her words through his mind. Of all the different reasons he had come up with over the last thirteen months as to why his kid hated him, that was probably the only one he hadn't thought of yet. After a few moments of contemplation, he sighed, "alright, first of all, I do care if you survive or not. You have no idea how many vampires back in the states I killed because you pissed them off and I wasn't going to wait around for them to get the idea of revenge or retaliation in their heads. Yes, I stepping into the background of your life but I never abandoned you. I have always been there if you needed me."

Pausing for a moment and drawing his brow down a little, "I never would have done that had I known the way you were going to be brought up. I never expected Jasper to do as he has and treat you the way he does. I have no idea what the fuck got into him but the way he acts towards you is not how a male is supposed to treat their mate. If you even knew how many times I had to be held back or restrained from coming to your defense, you still wouldn't believe it. Yes, I turned you for him but that doesn't negate my responsibilities towards you. I have no defense of my actions, or lack thereof, over the last year. All I can do is apologize for not stepping in when I knew I should have. You might be Jasper's mate but you are my child."

"Don't you mean childe?"

Peter shook his head a little, "no, I meant child. You're mine before you're his."

Swallowing hard and glancing back up at her sire, Isabella licked her lips and little before looking him in the eyes, speaking with a very quiet, barely there and uncertain voice, "so what do we do?"

Sighing slightly, a small smile lifted the corner of his lips, "we don't don't do anything. This is my fuck up and my responsibility to fix, not yours. So, after this bullshit little confrontation is over, I am going to do what I should have done months ago; I'm gonna be a daddy and beat the shit out of Jasper for how he's been treating my daughter. Once that's done, maybe more than once, probably more than once, then you and I are going to begin the task of fixing our fucked up little relationship because we got a long time to go yet before our bond fades and if you hate me this early on, it is going to be a long century. How does that sound?"

Looking at him for a moment, Isabella turned her head away from him and looked off to the side as she thought about it. After she made her decision, she smirked as she cut her eyes back to him. "I want a car."

Dropping his forehead down into his palm, Peter groaned, "oh, god, it starts." Shaking his head a little, "why can't we be like humans in the respect of only having to deal with our kids till they're eighteen?" Looking back at her snarky look Peter smirked, "fine, but I want a real chance to fix this first. Then we'll talk about a car."

Isabella giggled a little and nodded, "fine. I guess that's fair." Then she cocked her head a little, "so, out of curiosity, where's Char?"

Peter shrugged a little as he turned to head back to the others and head out, "no where near here. Believe me, the last thing I want to deal with is her if I have to come to your defense. I know what Demetri told you so I know you know that I would save you over her if forced to choose. It's drama that I have no desire to deal with. She's already pissed that I won't mark her so that would just add fuel to an already raging fire."

Looking up at him and raising a brow, "yeah, about that. Why haven't you?"

Looking down at her with his signature shit eating grin, "ain't no female gonna tie me down on her say so. I might consider it if she would stop fucking demanding it. But, she just can't seem to figure that out and I ain't that nice as to do it for her." Pointing a finger at Isabella, "and you keep your mouth shut about it too, ya hear?"

Snorting a little, "like I'm gonna. I don't like the bitch. Personally, I don't think she's good enough for my daddy."

Grinning at her a little, Peter chuckled, "come on. Let's go save Jasper's ass so I can kick it."

*X*

Taking up their positions around the chosen place to take on the remaining Volturi, Peter and Isabella crouched low to the ground, both sending their emotions to Jasper to let them know they were there and ready. Feeling his response and order to stand down, Peter looked over to Isabella and whispered, "I know you can take care of yourself, just, be careful, alright."

Grinning as she removed Demetri's jacket and kicked off her shoes, she nodded, "you too. I really want that car."

Rolling his eyes and grinning a little, Peter sighed and shook his head before returning his attention through the leaves, just outside the range of being able to be sensed by the vampires in the clearing but within Jasper's gift. "I'm serious. Be careful. Remember the crash course on your gift and use it."

Nodding a little and readying herself for the command that was coming, Isabella ran what he had told her about the effectiveness of her gift through her mind. She had to be able to establish eye contact when she started talking and make it sound as if she believed her words, even if she didn't. The hard part of it was going to be keeping her tone clear and steady while she was trying to kick someone's ass at the same time she was trying to convince them to let her. Things in her mind were so much easier before she found out she was gifted. She was perfectly happy just being a fast little shit. She had no desire to have to learn how to use a gift that stemmed from her being a moron as a human.

The things she wanted to kick her own ass for never seemed to stop continuing to mount against her.

Shaking her head with a grunt, she looked over at Peter, "why isn't he calling us in?"

Peter's lip curled into a snarl as his eyes narrowed, "because he's a jackass. I don't know what happened after you skipped town, Sugar, but something set him off. The stupid prick is gonna get himself killed trying to make a fucking point."

Blinking a little, "what point?"

Hissing his response, "that the Great Major Whitlock doesn't need any fucking help."


	32. Chapter 32

Standing across from the remaining Volturi, Jasper glared at Aro, tuning out the incessant droning of the pissed off former ruler of the vampire race. It wasn't like anything he said was really all that important. It was the same shit as always.

 _How dare you?_

 _You'll pay for your crimes and trespass._

 _Blah, blah, blah._

He wasn't impressed.

Demetri and Felix stood flanking the major, confused as to why he was just standing there, not doing anything. The two of them were in this way deeper than Jasper could have possibly imagined and while they weren't afraid to die, that didn't mean they wanted to. Glancing at each other out of the corner of their eyes, even through the annoyance and irritation, there was a silent farewell said to the only true friend either one of them have ever known.

Once Aro figured out his words were not having any effect on the major, he turned his attention to the other two that stood with him, his eyes narrowed nearly shut as he snarled, "you two will beg for mercy for centuries before you know your final death."

Despite the situation, Felix couldn't hold back his smartass nature and swallow the retort before it fell from his mouth like vomit, "do the centuries of service count? Cause listening to you is the worst kind of torture there is." When Aro snarled in response, he kinda pouted a little, "I'll take that as no. Damn."

Growling hard enough to vibrate his whole body, Aro once again turned to Jasper, "I will give you one chance to surrender and tell me where your mate is. If you don't, you will die."

Jasper just snorted a little, "right, at whose hand? Yours? You haven't lifted a finger in centuries other than to point others to do your bidding, the majority of which are gone. Your pathetic little following doesn't scare me."

Smirking the most sinister smirk anyone had ever seen him wear, Aro chuckled, "you overestimate yourself, as always. You think to take us on with nothing but yourself and two others?"

Shrugging, "I have faced worse odds than this before."

That dark chuckle was back as Aro grinned, "liar. That though, is irrelevant, isn't it Major. This is about something else, is it not?" When he saw Jasper's eyes narrow, he chuckled again, "this is about revenge, about redemption."

Lip curling at the corner, Jasper cocked a brow, "the fuck are you talking about?"

"You stand here ready to fight because you know that you're condemned for killing two of my friend's children in revenge of what they did and you're looking for redemption in my death."

Shaking his head a little, Jasper snorted, "wow. Someone is a little full of himself these days. First of all, I didn't kill anyone and the reason I am standing here to kill you is simply because I don't like you. I am in no need of revenge or redemption. I am above them both."

Chuckling again, Aro looking Jasper dead in the eyes, "now who's full of himself? I told you very recently that no one is above the law, my law. For your crimes, I sentence you to die." Looking back and forth between Demetri and Felix, Aro growled, "all of you."

With a wave of his hand, the fight was on.

*X*

Holding their positions in the underbrush, Isabella was shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her agitation clear as day while Peter simply watched the happenings. When the remaining guard made the first move, there was a nearly canine sounding whine from one and snarl from the other.

Looking at Peter with clear confusion in her eyes, Isabella whimpered a little, "what do we do? We can't just stay here and do nothing, Peter. They'll die."

Growling deep in his chest in response to her rising anxiety, Peter watched with a critical eye, waiting for the moment of 'fuck it' to arrive. The Captain wouldn't deny that Jasper was good, as were Felix and Demetri, but not that good. Jasper was full of shit when he said he faced worse than this. He just wrote a check his ass couldn't cash and sentenced two others to death just to try and prove otherwise.

Jasper needed to learn a lesson but the only way for it to stick was if he survived.

Glancing at Isabella when she whimpered again, Peter sighed a little, "we wait."

Whimpering again, Isabella whined, "but Peter..."

Turning to look at her, "I'm not going to let them die, Sugar, I promise. But for the moment, we have to hold back. I know you don't like it but you have to." Pulling out his phone, he sent a mass text out telling the others to count down from thirty and whether Jasper calls them or not, it was time to interfere. Once that was done, he looked back at Isabella, "go to your place. The one that you created to separate yourself from reality."

Blinking at him, "how do you know about that?"

Giving her a soft smile, Peter looked her in the eyes, "we are one, Sugar. There ain't nothing I don't know about you." Turning back to the clearing, "now get ready."

Biting her lip a little, Isabella looked down for a moment before letting out a breath and turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing hard, "I don't want to hate you anymore, so you have to be careful." Keeping her arms around him, she pulled her face back and looked into his shocked eyes, "promise me."

Once the initial shock from the affection wore off, Peter's eyes softened and a tender expression settled on his face as he dipped his head and nuzzled his nose in her hair, "I'll get you the damn car."

Taking the snark for what it was, Isabella smiled a little as she pulled away completely and did as she was told and got ready for battle. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she separated her mind from the situation, removing the emotional aspect and turned herself over to nothing but instinct.

As he did every time his kid was on the front lines of battle, Peter watched as she gave up part of herself, seeing completely onyx eyes opening in place of blood. Her body coiled and muscles tightened to the point of snapping. Once he saw teeth, he knew she was ready and after pulling his shirt over his head, he rolled his shoulders and the two of them shot from the bushes, side by side and ready to end this once and for all.

*X*

When the backup forces descended on the field, the only way to describe the scene was hell on earth. The guards, who had expected an easy win against three, were now facing equal numbers to their own and none of them knew what to make of the horse sized dogs that came at them all teeth and claws.

Separating mid air, the southern captain and his offspring locked eyes for a moment as they landed before they both pivoted on point and took off in opposite directions, The Captain heading to sort out the dog pile on the Major while Isabella went to aid Demetri and Felix.

Like they had been working together for decades, she slid into the fray seamlessly, diving through the air and spearing the cowardly little asshole that thought to sneak up from behind for the easy kill. As they rolled across the ground, Isabella twisted her body and sank her teeth into the bastard's neck before slamming her foot into the ground, stopping herself short and removing the head as the body continued to bounce along. With a growl, she crushed the head in her hands before spinning on her knee and shooting back into the fray.

Once Peter uncovered Jasper and got him back to his feet, he glared a little before simply turning away, pausing only briefly when he heard something to the effect of 'I didn't give you the order' from the major. Looking over his shoulder with a dark glare and slight snarl, Peter growled as he threw his leg out and kicked a guard's head clean off his shoulders before locking eyes with Jasper, "you're fucking welcome, asshole."

Aro watched from the sidelines as his forces were overtaken and fell one by one. The other side was not without its casualties, but they were miniscule in comparison to his. As his eyes roamed the field, they landed on who had to be the major's mate since she was the only female present as she squared off with Santiago. Lips pulling back from his teeth, he darted into the clearing from behind her. Grabbing a fist full of her hair, he pulled back and threw her across the ground, taking a demonic pleasure as she tumbled across the terrain with a grunt and yelp.

Taking control of her fall and rolling to her feet, she bared her teeth as she looked at the bastard that actually just pulled her hair like a little bitch.

Looking down his nose at the pest that he deemed responsible for all of this, Aro narrowed his eyes, "I will have your head."

Snarling a little and growling deep in her chest, Isabella snapped her teeth, "not before I have your ashes."

Shooting from her place, Isabella ducked under the fist that came at her face and planted her foot into Aro's back, taking up her stance and glaring as he recovered. Pausing for only a moment, the two simply stared at each other, eyes locked and as dark as the night sky. Aro had hundreds of years of life over Isabella's scant thirteen months. Aro was by far physically stronger than she was now that she was out of her first year. Aro had the memories of fallen soldier's battle and fighting tactics but she had far more personal experience on the battlefield. Aro never killed anyone that was able to fight back, or without Alec's influence, while she was covered in scars of victims that fought to the death that she took on, on her own.

She considered them pretty evenly matched.

For as long as the moment stretched on for them, it was over in an instant. Snapping her teeth again, Isabella lifted her arms to block the next hit aimed for her face, digging her toes into the ground to slow her slide. Once she stopped a few feet back, she looked up and grinned, "is that the best you got? You hit like a bitch." Flipping into a handspring to avoid the next attack, she kinda giggled, "my first meal put up a better fight than this." Landing in an crouch and rolling to the side in a break fall, she cackled as she rounded back to him, "come on ya fucking pussy. Hit me already."

Eyes blazing as he glared, Aro was falling into her trap perfectly and he didn't even know it. Flashing forward, he once again cocked his arm back, only for her to counter by hooking her arm through his and, using his momentum against him, twisted over and slammed him into the ground on his back.

Pushing herself up and leaping into the air to avoid his opposite arm as he tried to dig his claw like nails into the back of her neck, Isabella landed a few feet away. Before she was able to get back to her feet, she dropped to her knees, her teeth smashing together with a scream lodged in her throat at the fire that consumed her every molecule. Choking on a breath she didn't even need, her fingers dug into the ground as she tried to lift her head. Looking up through her lashes as Aro slowly approached her, a triumphant smirk on his face, she cringed as the pain only grew.

On nearly the other side of the clearing, Peter's head whipped around as a snarl ripped from the bottom of his soul. Eyes losing all color as he set eyes on his baby, he looked first quickly for Jasper and, seeing he wasn't paying the damnedest bit of attention, grabbed the back of the heads of the two he was currently fighting and smashed their faces together before pushing off with his toes and running as fast as he could, grabbing the scruff of some random wolf along the way.

Once whichever one it was started running with him, after the pained yelp, Peter pointed out Jane, "eat that little bitch." Leaping over the dog and twisting in the air, he shot from his landing and dove, tackling Aro in the side and taking him to the ground before he had the chance to so much as touch Isabella as the wolf did the same to Jane, breaking the connection and freeing the vampire from her gift.

On hands and knees, Isabella panted as the horrific reminder of the change was lifted. Turning her head to the side, she watched as Paul ripped Jane apart joint by joint, stone body fragments flying every which way. Moving her eyes as the white noise in her ears began to reseed, she saw Peter and Aro locked in a death roll, bone chilling growls and snarls breaking into her consciousness and lulling her into a fog of amazement.

Lips pulled back to the gums of his teeth, Peter took full control of the tumble, grabbing fist full of Aro's shirt and, getting into a straddling position, pinned the condemned to the ground by his chest with enough force to crack the marble flesh. Getting nose to nose, Peter growled in Aro's face before snapping his teeth, "big mistake." When Aro when to open his mouth, quick as lightning, Peter put his fist in it, snarling as he pulled his arm back and threw Aro's tongue across the clearing, "you ain't gonna talk yourself out of this one, you son of a bitch."

Grabbing him by his jaw, Peter turned Aro's face towards Isabella, who was still trying to recover from Jane's gift, "that's my baby," turning him back, Peter looked him dead in the eyes, "no one hurts my baby. Hundreds have tried and hundreds have died. To get to her, you go through me. So bring it on you pansy ass mother fucker. Not only am I going to destroy you, I'm gonna fuckin' enjoy it." Looking over his shoulder, he saw Demetri only feet away. Blowing a whistle to catch his attention, he nodded at Isabella, "get her out of here."

Once the tracker did as he was told and he knew Isabella was in good hands, Peter returned his attention to Aro. Growling again, he let go and stood up, allowing Aro to get to his feet. Looking at him through narrowed eyes, Peter snapped, "let's see how you do against someone your own size, ya fucking coward."

Hand covering his mouth, Aro's eyes darted every which way, whether for escape or rescue even he didn't know. Moving his eyes back to the female's unknown sire, he narrowed his eyes. He had made the mistake of assuming that Carlisle was right about the Major siring his own mate. A mistake that was bigger than he could have imagined as he stared into the pitch black eyes of a demonic vampire out to protect his only living childe. There was no doubt he would rather go ten rounds with Satan than he would the sire of a vampire under their first century.

The fact that the young vampire was a female only made it worse.

Quickly losing his patience with the stalling, Peter growled again before flashing forward and bringing his arm up into an uppercut, catching Aro under the chin. Ducking under the body as it went up in the air, Peter wrapped an arm around Aro's neck and dropped to his knee, forcing his shoulder into the back of Aro's neck before leaning forward and filling him over so Aro was in front of him. Grabbing a fist full of hair and forcing him away, Peter pulling the other arm back before shooting it forward, the tips of his fingers breaking the skin on the back of the neck and, with all the force and backing of Hell and the Devil, he pulled his arm back, bringing Aro's spine out with it. Venom spraying and coating his flesh and the ground below him, letting out a growl that was so deep the ground shook in response to the vibration of his body.

Panting from the exertion needed to do what he just did, Peter slowly turned his head to look around his shoulder at the masses that stared at him, blood and venom dripping from his hair and obstructing his vision slightly as it slid into his eyes. Baring his teeth, he crushed the bone in his hand as the now literal spineless piece of shit's body slumped back without the support of the backbone.

His voice an indecipherable snarl, "anyone else wanna fuck with my baby?"

No one in the clearing moved as Peter let go of the hair that kept the body of the now dead vampiric ruler off the ground, watching as it seemed to fold like a blanket over itself.

From his still crouched position, Peter watched as the few remaining Volturi guards took a half step back, not sure what to do in the face of Aro's death, their eyes moving back and forth between him and the unmoving body before him like a sacrifice to a bloody god. It was almost as if they were waiting for Aro to move, to get back up even knowing that was impossible with the severing of the brainstem.

Eyes narrowing into slits, Peter growled again with his teeth once again bared at the masses, a sinister, sadistic and easily termed demonic smirk taking over as they jumped before turning tail and bolting from the clearing. Smart bunch of fuckers they are. No point in dying for a true corpse it seems.

Finally standing from his crouch, Peter sniffed at the body at his feet before pulling out his lighter, flicking the flame and after walking away from the pile of rock and excelerant, tossed his zippo over his shoulder, the flame landing on and catching the pool of venom sending a wall of flames up behind him.

He did not stop, did not give it a second thought as he stalked right up to Jasper and blasted him in the mouth, sending him back a few feet and glaring at him as he landed on his back.

Black eyes narrowing as Jasper pushed himself up to his elbows and returning his glare, with a snap of his teeth, Peter huffed out a short growl, "for the next two months, you stay the fuck away from my child. Do you understand me? For the last year I have watched as you treated her like shit and like she didn't fucking matter. For the last year you have overstepped your dick and I'm fucking done. Keep your damn distance from her or I will make you."

Leaping to his feet, Jasper snarled, "excuse me?"

Not backing down as he normally would, "you fucking heard me, asswipe. Stay away or I will make you. During the last year you have taught her nothing, absolutely NOTHING of what you should have since you decided you were better suited to raise her than her sire. As a result of that, she has only just learned of her gift, has no idea how it works, and other then how to defend herself if needed, if you were to have died today, she would be fucked in survival. I said I was done and I fucking meant it. I am her sire and I want my baby back. If you fight me, you will lose. If you don't believe me," face once again taking on that sinister undertone, he growled again, "try me."

Growling right back, "she's my mate."

Finally losing his temper, Peter's voice rose to the point that the ground rattled, "I don't give a flying fuck. You are a piss poor mate at best and piece of fucking shit at worst. News flash you little fuckwit, this ain't the god damn nineteenth century. Females aren't supposed to be as subservient as you have made my kid. Submissive and subservient are NOT the same fucking thing no matter how much you wish they were and neither are protective and possessive; though I am positive that concept is one you will never understand. So I will say it one more time, stay away from her until I say otherwise. And while you're sitting off to the side and watching ME take over the care of MY Isabella, keep one fucking thing in mind before you get it in your head to do something stupid. For the next ninety nine years, she needs me, she doesn't need you."

Glaring for a moment longer, Peter huffed a final growl and turned away, walking through the gathered crowd that parted like the red sea in the face of the bloody god. He had not gone ten feet before ducking down and swinging his leg high and around in a roundhouse, the side of his foot connecting with the side of Jasper's head, once again sending him flying into the ground.

Turning his head and cocking a brow at the crater that was made, Peter snorted as he calmly walked over and looked into the hole, bending at the waist and his signature shit eating grin pulling at his lips, "let's make it a year. Consider Isabella fucking grounded."


	33. Chapter 33

In the first week following the fall of the Volturi, there had been too much to do for Jasper to take too much stock in what Peter said about staying away from his mate so he hadn't giving it much thought. The way he saw it was Peter was just keyed up after the fight and wouldn't actually uphold the ridiculous order to stay away from Isabella.

That was, until he tried to get close to her.

The confrontation was not a pretty one and in the end, Peter made it quite clear that he had meant every fucking word he said. So, instead of celebrating the victory with his mate, Jasper was sitting off to the side watching as Peter sat in front of her on the floor working with her on developing her gift so it could be used at the gather of coven leaders in three days. There was a very clearly defined border around Isabella that was very strictly maintained by her dickhead of a sire.

To make this even more fucked up, she was following Peter's orders on her own, without Peter forcing his influence on her. With a low growl, Jasper got up and left the room, unable to see her without getting to be close to her.

Peter and Isabella watched him leave, both of them wearing matching looks of annoyance since Jasper was so irritated he was projecting it so everyone was in as bad of a mood as he was. Once he was gone, Isabella shook her head a little as Peter rolled his eyes.

With a snort, Peter returned to what he was doing in developing Isabella's gift. The best way to know it's growing properly was if it affected him. It would be considered at it's full potential once he couldn't fight off the influence of her tone anymore. Since he could shake that shit off like it was nothing but a fly, they had a lot of work to do.

"Alright Sugar. Close your eyes and think about the one thing you have always wanted to make me do and concentrate on that and only that. Doesn't matter what it is as long as it won't kill me." No sense in taking unnecessary risks. Once he saw her nod he lowered his voice a little, "now, this time, don't let your voice waver with uncertainty. Use the influx in your tone to lull my will to bend to yours. The bases of your gift is in your ability to lull your audience into a sense of peace and comfort in whatever it is you are trying to get them to do. The more comfortable you are with your goal, the more they will believe it to be a good idea. You don't have to think it is, you just have to convince them it is." Seeing her take a deep breath and let it out slowly, he waited for her to be completely relaxed before talking again. "Now, open your eyes, make eye contact, and sell that shit like it's your job."

She tried; she tried her damnedest to talk him into punching himself in the face as hard as he could, and Peter knew she did. However, the rift that was created between them over the last year was making it almost impossible for her to put what he said into actual practice. She had been molded and trained to not follow any order that didn't come from Jasper for so long that trying to do so now was like going against her basic instinct of survival. Which, if he was completely honest about it, with the way she was raised, to her, that's exactly what it was.

Oh, he had no doubt that she was still gonna kick ass at the gathering, but that was completely insignificant in the overall picture of her life. Besides that, Peter was damn near positive that she wouldn't even have to try all that hard to convince the masses that, with a miniscule effort on their part, the sun would finally be theirs again, and for many, a long overdue bonus to their eternity. No, the biggest thing for her to overcome was the fucking grooming to believe that just because she didn't have a dick dangling between her legs, she was a piece of shit and not worth anything.

He was truly considering ripping Jasper's off and see just how much he likes being treated like a balless nobody for the next month and teach the stupid bastard just who actually ran shit in a mating. Sure, it was the male that was supposed to protect and provide, but it was actually the female that made the fucking rules because they were the ones that said when, or even if, the guy got to indulge in their mating instinct or not.

An even better idea than that, that was just behind ripping Jasper's dick off, and a very close second though a last resort, was to step in as the female's sire and break the fucking mating bond. In his entire life, Peter had only known that to have happened once and it was because the male vampire was treating his mate much like Jasper treated Isabella and it was for the overall safety of the female to remove her from the mating. Granted, Jasper wasn't quite on par with that piece of shit, but he was dangerously close to it. So close, in fact, that more than once in the last seven days, Peter actually had to put up a hell of a fight with himself to not bite the mating mark and severing that bond.

It would be so easy to do, too, and that was what made it so hard. All he had to do was bite over the mark that Jasper gave her and BAM, she would be free of the fucker until such time as he bit her again. Since it was Peter's venom that changed her, all he had to do was replace what was lost at the time Jasper claimed her. She would still carry the marking of a mated female but she wouldn't carry the scent of one anymore.

That was, however, a last resort since once the bond was broken, it couldn't be reestablished until after the Sire Connection faded. However, if it did come to that, Jasper would have a long ass time to think about just how important to him Isabella actually was and plan accordingly for when he could reclaim her as his mate in 99 years.

Shaking his head with a little grunt as he, once again, shook off the lull of Isabella's tone, Peter sighed, "alright, Baby Doll. This isn't gonna work." Leaning back on his palms and giving her a look that told him her he already knew the answer, he clicked his tongue, "what's got you so distracted?"

Running her fingers through her hair and scratching the back of her head, Isabella shrugged a shoulder, "I don't know." Looking over at her sire from the corner of her eyes, "it feels... wrong, I guess, to listen to you. But, it's more than that, too. I..." Shaking her head a little and shrugging once again, she tried to figure out exactly what was wrong with this picture and what is was about it that had her so twisted into knots. Running her hands down her face and sighing a little, she looked back into, surprisingly, understanding eyes, "it's like, I want to listen to you and follow your directions, but I just... can't."

Smirking slightly, Peter chuckled, "oh, I'm not surprised. You have been conditioned to not listen to me, or anyone other than Jasper for that matter, since the day you woke up. That's a really big issue that you're going to have to change on your own, because if I do it for you, there are huge consequences to face and I don't know if you can handle them. It's my job to make your life easier, not harder. However, that part aside because that is not a discussion for the moment, what else is bothering you? I know there is something, but not what."

Propping her chin on her fisted hands and leaning on her elbows on her thighs, her nose wrinkled, "other than that, the biggest thing that is bothering me is, where were the Cullens last week? When Felix and Demetri pulled me out of the clearing, Aro said they were at the palace waiting on them to return, but they weren't in the clearing during the fight. I killed Alice weeks ago so I know she wasn't there to warn them of what was going to happen, and same with Edward. I can't help but feel like we haven't seen the last of them and the soldier side of me is on edge while the other side is like, 'good fucking riddance'. Then, let us also not forget that there were THREE Volturi rulers and only ONE died thus far that I'm aware of. I just feel that this isn't over yet and I don't like it."

Humming in his throat as he considered that, Peter rolled his head on his shoulders for a moment before nodding, "of the two remaining rulers, the only one that is of any concern is Caius. Marcus was only there for the last few centuries because of Chelsea. Without her hold over his allegiance, he had no loyalty to anyone anymore and hasn't since Aro killed his mate. However, for as sadistic as Caius is, he's a fucking pussy and won't have the balls to face the masses without the backing of the guard, that were only actually loyal to Aro. You weren't there for the aftermath of his death, but once he died his final death, they ran like a bunch of fangirls after Johnny Depp."

Chuckling a little at the starry eyed look that took over Isabella's eyes, Peter snapped his fingers in front of her face, snapping her back to the present. Rolling his eyes a little at the giggle that came from her lips, he grinned, "my point. Anyways, I really don't think that he's going to be too much of a problem in the near future. Now, as for the Cullens, only time is going to tell on that one. I'm positive they want retribution for Edward and Alice's death, but I am equally as positive they don't want to face off with us to get it, otherwise they would have been on that field last week.

"They, a lot like Caius, are just too fucking scared to actually lift a finger to get what they want and prefer to have others do it for them. Besides that, they lost every gifted member of their coven over the years so the only thing they even have is the big son of bitch, who while not all that smart, isn't that fucking stupid. I am in no way saying there isn't a chance we will have to deal with them at some point, I am just saying it isn't going to be for a while."

Nodding a little and biting the corner of her bottom lip, Isabella blinked a few times and lowered her voice so only he could hear her, "then there's the distraction of the Major's little hissy fit." Shaking her head a few times, she glared out of the corner of her eye outside the balcony doors where Jasper was leaning on the railing with his arms crossed, glaring back at her and her sire. "I swear, he's acting like a toddler that got his favorite toy taken away and his irritation is irritating me."

Flashing her a teeth filled smirk, Peter spoke loud enough for the sulking little baby to hear him. "Fuck Jasper. Seriously, fuck 'im. If he can't take a step back and do what is best for you," turning his head and staring Jasper dead in the eyes, Peter played no bullshit, "he doesn't deserve you."

Completely fed up with Jasper's game of, 'well, if I can't have her, no one can', Peter turned back to his daughter and told her exactly how this was going to play out. "When it comes to this little game he's trying to play, he overlooks the fact that there can only be one winner and it sure as fuck ain't gonna be him. My top priority is what's best for you; your safety, your wellbeing, your happiness... are you seeing a pattern here? The only thing on my 'give a fuck' list is you and if Jasper isn't what's best, then it is my duty as your sire to make him go away." Looking back at Jasper, "something that I don't think he thinks I'll actually do, when in reality, I'll do it in a fucking heartbeat. "

Ignoring Jasper's dark growl and bared teeth, Isabella cocked her head a little, "how?"

Looking at Jasper for a moment longer, the challenge clear in Peter's eyes, he turned back to Isabella and, dead seriously, responded, "break your mating bond."

It was said so matter of factly, so easily that she wasn't sure she heard him right at first, or even second. His words didn't sink in until there was a flash that made the room blur, even to her eyes. Grunting and shaking her head, blinking her eyes a few times to make the room stop spinning, she made this random ass sound when she realized that she was no longer sitting cross legged on the floor, but was actually now standing behind Peter, who was crouched slightly in front of her, but still upright enough for her to be hidden from Jasper's view as he crouched opposite Peter, growling and snarling something fucking fierce. The part that had her confused, however, was that Jasper had his back to the bar and she had her's to the balcony.

What the actual fuck, just happened? She didn't realize she said that out loud until she was given an answer.

"Jasper's a little pissy."

Looking around Peter's shoulder and taking in the stance Jasper was in, Isabella gave the back of his head a flat look, "ya don't fucking say."

Peter just shrugged a little as he shifted through his emotions just as fast as Jasper threw them at him. He had been around the fucker way too long not to know how to counteract that shit nearly without thought. Also, had he not been witness to this, he wouldn't have ever believed that the Major cared quite that much about the very real threat to sever his bond to Isabella. However, what Peter was questioning about it was, did he care that he stood to lose his mate, or his toy? Because from where he was standing, it looked like the latter to Peter and that pissed him off, just a lota bit.

Smirking his signature shit eating grin, Peter chuckled deep and dark, "give it up, Major. I can do this shit all day, and you know it." Once the emotional climate chilled the fuck out, he cocked a brow, "now, here's the deal, and the only one I'm gonna make. You want to keep your mate, prove to me that you actually care about her as your mate and not your pet. Because that shit is DONE, ya fucking hear me? I see one thing, one single thing, that I don't like, I sever the bond and you will never see her again, and that shit you can take to the fucking bank. She has bent over backwards for you and your fucked up brand of mating and it's damn time she sees a little payoff for it."

Jasper narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth, "you wouldn't fucking dare."

The look that overtook Peter's face would have anyone questioning the dumbfuck's inteligence. Voice as flat as his face, "wanna make a fucking bet? Give me one good fucking reason to the contrary."

"She's mine."

Snorting with no regard to the Major's flaring temper, "wrong dickface, she's mine. That, however, is completely irrelevant." Standing from his crouch, Peter pulled Isabella out from behind him and stood her in between them and locked eyes with Jasper, "what is relevant though, is that her best interest is put first and foremost, for once in her life, and I am in no way convinced that's you."

Looking down at Isabella, Peter cocked his head a little, "let's take a moment to recap her life over the last year shall we, and then we'll see where this goes. First, she was claimed by a male to be the mate of an overbaring, sexest piece of shit that never actually listened to a word she said. At least once in a 24 hour time frame, she was dismembered simply for speaking her mind. She was spoken to like she's nothing but a child with no understanding of anything. She was put down, ignored, mistreated, neglected, had her safety and well being discarded like it didn't matter. She was ridiculed, singled out, targeted, harmed, hurt, and lied to."

Looking back at Jasper, Peter tisked, "and that was just what you did to her." Cocking a brow at him while flicking a finger back and forth between Jasper and Isabella, "Where in all that shit, was the good reason to allow this shit to continue? If it's there, I sure as fuck don't see it, and, I'm the one that needs to because I'm the one that needs to be convinced to allow it to. So, here is your chance. Convince me."

Jasper snarled, "you're not taking my mate."

Looking back down at Isabella, who was looking up at him with a face that told him to leave her the fuck out of this shit storm, Peter hummed a little, "your mate?" looking at Jasper from the corner of his eye, "or your pet?"

"It doesn't matter."

Even Isabella grunted in distaste of that answer, though it was Peter that responded, "and that, Major, is the problem. Our mates are NOT pets. They are treasures and something to BE treasured. They rely on us to make sure they are safe and taken care of, not to be taken advantage of and be treated like shit just because they need a little extra looking after sometimes. That's why we are stronger than they are, not so we can hold them down, but so we are equipped to protect them when they need it. That's why we're bigger than they are, not so we can intimidate them into subservience, but so we can shield them from those that wish to harm them.

"You have literally taken every single advantage you have over her and turned it into something dark and sinister, and for what? The perfect mate? Let me let you in on a little secret, Jasper, had you given her time, she would have turned into what you wanted her to be on her own without all this bullshit hanging over the two of you.

"Now, I am not without fault in this, but the difference is, I'm man enough to admit that I fucked up. I fucked up in a BIG way for not only allowing this to happen for as long as it has, but for letting it happen in the first fucking place. The other difference is, other than being able to admit I made a mistake, I am also able to actively try and fix it. However, yet again, you are there to try and stop it, to try and hinder the female you say you love when it's perfectly fucking clear you don't. If you did, you wouldn't be actively trying to keep her from growing without you.

"And that, Major, is currently my biggest problem. I have to decide what's best for my kid in the overall picture of her life, not just what is best for her right now. If that was all I have to figure out, I would sever the bond without a second fucking thought. However, I have to consider the consequences of doing so and if she can handle them as well. Something I am not currently sure she can because you have done fucked her eight ways to Sunday in surviving without you and it'll be a century before you would have a chance at reestablishing that bond with her. No matter how tempting that might actually be," grinning a little, Peter chuckled, "and it is VERY tempting. For every reason I am convinced taking her away completely would be best, there are just as many that say it's not. So, what to do? That's the million dollar fucking question. What am I gonna do about you and the way you treat my daughter?"


	34. Chapter 34

As Bella stood there, she looked at Jasper and up at Peter a few times as the two of them continued to stare the other down. Jasper was coiled and ready to attack and Peter had her in the perfect position to make good on his threat before Jasper could move an inch.

It was a fucked up little triangle she found herself in and, right at the moment, she wasn't really sure at to which side she wanted to win.

On the one hand, she did love Jasper. Or, she thought she did, anyways. However, was it really love or was it something else that stemmed from the fact that she had next to no interaction with anyone but him for the last year and she was blinded like she was when she was with Edward as a human?

Brow drawing down, a frown came to her face as that name brought forth a myriad of memories, that she would spend her life trying to forget, without her permission. She saw every time she voice her opinion, every time she spoke her mind, and was talked down to like she was a child. She saw every time she said no to something and was forced to do it anyway. She saw every time she said she wanted to do something and was reprimanded for it and forbidden from doing it. Then, as her life changed, so did the face telling her the same things in a different voice.

It was the same thing, just a different vampire.

Blinking as she shook her head a little, something else cropped up in her mind. She watched from the side as her memories of Jasper with Alice surfaced. He was always with a smile on his face, light in his eyes as he told her 'whatever you want'. He was always touching Alice in some way, and never in one that would have hurt her when he never did that with her. It didn't matter what was going on behind his back. It didn't matter that Alice was a whore. Every time Jasper looked at her, he had love in his eyes and he looked at Isabella with possession and domination.

The words 'I love you' were common out of his mouth when he talked to Alice, and he had only said it to her once... during a fight, no less. So, to Isabella, that begged one question to be asked.

Did he love her or the control he had OVER her?

Then, on the other hand, there was Peter. Someone that she has hated for so long for something that she wasn't entirely sure she could fault him for anymore, not after everything was explained to her, by more than just him. Then, when given the chance to prove it, he stepped up and did just that. That, more than anything, showed her that when he said he cared, he actually meant it. She wasn't a pet to him, she wasn't a toy. She was his kid and he treated her like any parent would treat their kid.

When he said he was going to do something, that was exactly what he did.

He wanted what was best for her. He wanted her to be the best she could be and he wanted her to be that on her own. He was of the mind that until you can make it on your own, you can't make it with someone else.

It was sad, but it was very true that if something were to happen to Jasper, there was a very good chance that she wouldn't be able to survive on her own. She was completely dependant on Jasper for everything, just like she was with Edward and she nearly didn't survive when he left. She was a zombie for years after he abandoned her so, what would happen to her if Jasper died now? This was a far more dangerous world than the one she had been a part of before.

Looking back across the room, Isabella stared at Jasper for a moment and wondered how much worse it would be this time around.

Biting her lip a little, she turned to look up at her sire, at the only one of the two that she knew wouldn't lie to her, and licked her lips, "what would happen if you did that?" When Peter turned to look at her, she bit the corner of her lip for a moment before she elaborated, "break the bond, I mean."

There was a deep growl on the other side of the room that caused one to sound from the very pissed off Papa. Looking over at Jasper, Peter snarled, "shut up, Jazz." Waving a finger between himself and Isabella, "this has NOTHING to do with you."

Glaring at the empath for another moment, Peter looked back down at Isabella, "a whole bunch of shit, but the two biggest are, you will lose the scent of a mated female and you will have no emotional connection to Jasper any longer."

"And, what about him?"

Peter sighed a little, "That will be fully dependant on him. I can only break your bond to him, not his to you."

Nodding a little at that, "what about everything that already happened?"

"You'll remember being his mate because you'll still have all the memories of the last year, but you won't view them the same way. When you think back on them, you won't see them as a mate would, you'll see them for what they really are because you won't feel the same thing you did at the time they occurred." Scratching his brow with his thumb, Peter thought of the best way to explain this. Humming a little, "If I break your bond to Jasper, it will undo everything that happened since the claiming. This is the reason that breaking it is such a bitch of a call. If I do, you'll revert, mentally, back to how you were before the bond was made in the first place.

"Now, for all the reasons that that's bad, it is also a decent starting point as far a making damn sure you can take care of yourself and a much better point for gift development since you won't have the second nature of not listening to me ingrained in your brain. However, at the same time, you'll be an infant again and all the same issues of raising an infant will come back, minus the newborn strength. You'll be a thirteen month old with the mindset of a six month old since that's how old you were when you were claimed. Like I said, there are consequences of breaking a mating bond and that, Sugar, is the biggest one."

Swallowing hard when Peter was done, Isabella looked over at Jasper, feeling all sorts of different things as she looked at him. There was the normal ones that she had figured came with the mating but there was also an undertone of bitterness and anger. She wanted to believe that he cared about her, that he really did love her like he said, but with the way he was acting and had been acting, she wasn't wholly sure what it was he loved.

Locking her eyes on his, she turned her head a little, "What is it you love, Major? Do you really, honestly and truly love me for me or do you love what you turned me into? A submissive, quiet killing machine that blindly follows you without question and bends to your will. When you look at me, what do you see? Do you see a mate or a pet, a toy? Do you love me or do you love to control me? You have spent all this time trying to turn me into the perfect mate, into what you wanted me to be and now that I'm what you always wanted, you still act as if you're better than me. Why? Have I not done everything you ever told me too, verbatim? Everything down to very last detail? I have done all you asked, all you demanded of me and still, it's not enough for you. When will it be? When will I be good enough without you changing your mind and deciding that you want more instead of just accepting me for who and what I am?

"You want perfection, but that doesn't exist. No matter what you try, no matter what you make me do, I'll never be perfect. That's in the eye of the beholder and when you behold me, all you see is what needs to be changed, what needs improvements. That's not love, Jasper, that's just fucked. For the last year I have done everything you asked me to, told me to, demanded me to do and still, you what more. I don't know if you even know what you want anymore but, by the way you keep trying to change me, it's pretty fucking clear you don't want me. You just want someone you can control, someone you can mold into what you think you want only to change your mind and once again, change me with it.

"I am always going to be who I am under the surface because that is who I was meant to be. Why can't you just accept me for that and stop trying to turn me into something I'm not? I'm not the cold blooded monster you turned me into. I'm not the little bitch that blindly follows orders that you forced me to become. I am who I am and I don't even know who that is anymore but I know it's not the scared soldier I see when I look in the mirror. You have changed me so much that I don't even know who the fuck I am anymore and if I don't know who I am, how the fuck could you?"

Jasper narrowed his eyes at his mate, a tremor running his spine as her gift tried to take effect over him. Snorting a hard puff of air from his nose, he glared, "I don't know who the fuck you are because I know my mate wouldn't try and force me to bend to anything that goes against my wishes. My mate is obedient and would never even think to attempt to use her gift on me because she knows better. Perhaps this was something that your precious Sire forgot to mention, that shit won't work on me so long as you belong to me. I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but allow me to remind you of who you really are."

Anger the likes she had never felt before bubbling in her gut, Isabella snarled at him, "And who's that, huh? A lost, poor, pathetic little lamb that can't do shit on her own and needs you to show her the error of her ways? HA, fat fucking chance. For so long you have done nothing but hold me back, hold me down and make me believe that I can't do shit without you there to tell me right from wrong. Well, new flash, Jasper. Whether you believe this or not, I have a fucking brain that knows that shit perfectly well on it's own. Just because YOU don't like it or approve of it, doesn't make my choices wrong. So, please, oh wise and infallible Major, remind me again of who I am since you're the only fucking one that could possibly know that with all the fucking changes you forced on me.

"I accepted the fact that you were an asshole and fell in actual love with you despite your shortcomings, and you have a LOT of them, while all you did was try and change me to what YOU thought I should be. You want to know what you doing that actually does? It makes you taller version of Edward fucking Cullen and, if memory serves, I fucking lit his ass UP for pulling the same fucking shit you're trying to pull right now. HE didn't like having his toy taken away either and went about shit the WRONG WAY. There are better ways to get what you want out of life WITHOUT forcing your will on someone else. I love you, Jasper, but I gotta be honest here. I fucking hate you because you are JUST like HIM.

"I was worth protecting and fighting for as a human, when I was fucking FOOD and now all I'm not worth anything more than a fucking toy. Seriously, what the fuck? You showed more care towards me when I was with someone else, that you didn't even like, than you ever have since I've been with you. You NEVER treated Alice like you treat me. You NEVER once forced her to do a fucking thing that SHE didn't want to and she wasn't even your fucking mate while I AM and you treat me like a piece of dog shit.

"I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask to be your mate but yet I'm expected to act all kinds of fucking grateful for the position. I'm expected to bow down and kiss your fucking feet like you're a fucking god when all you are is a fucking prick. I don't ask for SHIT from you but a little of the goddamn respect and maybe a little fucking gratitude for all the crap I've put up with that you showed your fuck buddy that you have NEVER shown me."

Venom filling her eyes as she gave Jasper a dark glare, her voice thick, "Do you even remember that day in the living room of the Cullen's house when I didn't feel that I was worth the trouble you were all going through to protect me from James? Do you not remember telling me I was worth it? That I was just as important as any other member of the family that you would go to bat for without a second thought? Why was I worth so much as Edward's human girlfriend and worth so little now? Why did you care more about me then than you do now? Why, as a human, did I mean more to you than I do as your mate?"

When Jasper looked away from her, Isabella growled low in her chest as she pressed her lips together. When he remained silent, she snarled, "ANSWER ME."

Rounding back, Jasper growled a little before doing just that. "You didn't mean shit to me then. You meant something to Alice and you were easier to be around when you weren't all hyped up on a roller coaster of negative emotions. I would have said just about anything to get to you calm down before that hellacious drive across the country."

Isabella visibly flinched at that. Blinking at Jasper a few times, she shook her head a little, "You never actually cared about me, have you? I was turned for the sole purpose of being your mate and... I don't even fucking matter to you outside of the control you have over me."

It was the heartbreak in her voice that finally cut through the possessive fog that was clouding Jasper's mind. Blinking at his mate, he shook his head a little, "You know that's not true."

"Do I? Did you not hear what literally just came out of your mouth? You JUST told me as much. You said you only protected me because of Alice. If you really care about me, you would let me learn what I have to incase something happens to you instead of trying to make sure that I die if you do. If you really love me like you said you do, and not just because you can control me, you would let me be me and stop trying to change me."

Licking her lips and looking him the eyes, Isabella shook her head and whimpered a little in her throat, "you need to decide what it is you really want and you can't do that right now. You can't know for sure that this is what you want since you have changed everything so many times. Just like you should want the best for me, I actually want that for you."

Jasper's jaw went a little lax as he felt her emotions hardened with resolve and shook his head a little, "Don't"

Shaking her head a little more, Isabella sighed again as she looked at him, "I already have. I love you for you and you can't say the same. You want someone that I am never going to be. If, someday, you decide that I'm actually good enough for you, we'll try this again but for now, it's never going to work. It'll never be the same because I'll never forget what you just said. If you really care about me, really love me like you should then this won't change that. This will give you the means to make sure that what you feel is real and not tainted by the power you have. You need control and I don't fault you for that but I'm done being controlled.

"I'm done being treated like shit, like I don't matter. I'm done with not being good enough on my own merit and forced to change on the whim of someone's finickiness. It's not fair to me and... I'm done being a pet. If you can't be happy with who I am then you can't be happy with me. You and your happiness has always been my number one objective and it still is." Licking her lips a little, "And just for the record, I didn't try to use my gift on you because unlike you, I wouldn't willingly force my will on anyone. I can't control my gift yet so it works when it wants to. The only thing I've done with it so far is try and get someone to see the same situation from a different perspective. Whether they listen to me or not has always been their choice, and you made yours. My perspective doesn't matter to you."

Looking at Jasper for a second more, Isabella then turned to look up at Peter, her eyes hard with resolve, "break it."


	35. Chapter 35

_Break it_

Those two words bounced around in Jasper's head, banging against his skull and actually causing him real pain; the thought nearly too much to bare. He stared at his mate and both saw the resolve to the decision in her eyes and felt it in her emotions.

She meant them wholeheartedly.

Though his eyes were locked on her, he could clearly see what Peter was doing as well. He didn't look all that shocked at the command, but he did look little apprehensive at following it. However, from what Jasper was feeling, that wasn't going to stop him from give her what she wanted. Peter was absolutely ready to sever the mating bond and if there was going to be a chance to stop him, Jasper knew he had to think fast.

Before he could open his mouth though, his own mind stood against him, forcing him to think about everything he had ignored, everything that he was responsible for. His eyes ghosted over the exposed flesh of his mate, counting and cataloging every bite, every scar that should never have been burned into her skin. He was the reason they were there. He was the reason she knew the pain and torment of the life he lived and had once said he never would again. He turned her in what he saw before him and that realization turned his stomach.

Everything moved in slow motion within Jasper's sights. Isabella turned her head to expose her neck and his mark to her sire and said sire's head began the descent.

Furiously, the dialogue of the last ten minutes flew through Jasper's mind, smashing into his consciousness and forcing him to see things as they really were and not how he wanted them to be. Every thought and sentence like a dagger to his unbeating heart because there was no dispute, no arguing a single one.

 _You want perfection, but that doesn't exist_

 _I'll never be perfect. That's in the eye of the beholder and when you behold me, all you see is what needs to be changed_

 _It makes you a taller version of Edward fucking Cullen_

 _You never treated Alice like you treat me_

 _I didn't ask to be your mate_

 _You never actually cared about me, have you?_

 _I don't even fucking matter to you_

 _You just told me as much_

 _You need to decide what you really want_

 _I already have_

 _I love you for you and you can't say the same_

 _You want someone that I am never going to be_

 _I'm done being treated like shit_

 _I'm done not being good enough_

 _I'm done being a pet_

 _You and your happiness has always been my number one objective_

 _Break it_

Jasper's eyes followed every centimeter that Peter's head moved closer to Isabella's neck, but he was looked without seeing, his mind deciding now was also a good time to throw some of his past actions back at him.

He saw every time he removed one of her limbs for opening her mouth. He saw the look in her eyes when he did so. He actually FELT her emotions this time as he was thrust back into the past, the resentment, the anger, the loathing for him and his stance on her being seen and not heard.

While he was seeing those memories, they were compared to how he acting towards Alice. Isabella never once tried to pull any of the shit that little imp did and he acted like she, Isabella, his MATE, had done things worse than that.

More recent events then began to bombard his mind as the conversation with Felix in the Volturi Palace cropped up. Even someone that hadn't known her for a full day, that had no idea of the things that had happened over the last year, could see and point out everything that was wrong with the situation. The sad thing about it was that Felix had unknowingly hit the nail on the head. He had kept his mate away from her sire because her sire was a male.

It didn't matter that he had known Peter for over a century. It didn't matter that Peter had zero romantic interest in Bella. It didn't matter that Peter was what she needed. All that mattered for so long was Peter was a male and as such was a threat to what he wanted as a mate. No matter how many times Jasper told himself that none of that mattered, the truth was it mattered a great deal.

Jasper knew how important the bond between Sire and Childe was. He knew what happened when it went ignored and not given the chance to go as it was meant to. He knew what it was like to lose it before it broke on it's own. He also knew what it felt like to be the one to end the most important bond a vampire had.

Before Peter took on the task of killing his children, Jasper had been the one to do so. Countless vampires that he created fell to his own hands, the lack of understanding and devastation in their eyes as he killed his kids would haunt him until the day he died. He also knew what it felt like to the younger vampires when he killed their sires before the century bond was broken and here he was, attempting to force those kinds of emotions on his own mate by trying to come between her and her own.

He was an asshole.

There had to be a way to fix this. There had to be a way to make this right. He knew he didn't really deserve it, that he had fucked up so many ways and for a very long time, but this couldn't end this way. Of the two of them, Isabella wasn't the one that needed to be changed, he was. He knew that. However, he wasn't sure that this wasn't past the point of no return anymore.

He was still going to try though. Bella's mind was made up. She was finally doing what she wanted, what she felt was best for both of them. However, this came down to Peter's decision, and even as his teeth made ready to slice into her flesh, he was still on the fence on whether or not this was a good idea. There were massive consequences of breaking a mating bond and Peter knew it. He was prepared to deal with them if he had to, Jasper knew that much. But, he also knew that Peter didn't want to put Isabella through what she was about to go through if he didn't have to.

As Peter's teeth made first contact with Isabella's neck, Jasper nearly whimpered. "Wait."

*X*

Peter had been watching Jasper ever since Bella made her request, watching as the last year pass over his eyes. He saw every emotion filter through, showing him that Jasper was actually thinking about the ramifications of his past actions and the toll they had taken on Bella. He saw his own sire nearly brought to his knees over what he was about to do and he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. Jasper was now like a brother to him but unfortunately for Jasper, the Little Lady right in front of him was far more important to him than Jasper was.

For thirteen months Peter had been forced to watch as his sire attempted to destroy his child and he was just this side of the line of killing Jasper out right for it. There were countless time in those thirteen months that Jasper came very close to losing his head and had no idea. It wasn't even so much the fact that Isabella was made of his venom, it was the fact that she was a she. You don't treat females the way Jasper had been treating Bella, it wasn't right. Female's lacked the ability to have a snowball's chance in hell at defending themselves in anyway against it.

They were designed by their nature to be smaller and weaker than the males of the species. No one really knew why that was, but it was the way it was. Normally, it was the male's pleasure to use their larger size to shield their female and to use their strength to defend them. Peter couldn't say that Jasper didn't do that when it came to his mate, he did. However, he also used those things against her as well and that was where Peter had an issue.

For the unlife of him, Peter could not figure out where the fuck Jasper's behavior came from. Jasper was from a time where female's were treasured and protected. For as long as Peter had known him, he had always gone out of his way to defend any female he came across. Nothing of the last thirteen months made the damnedest bit of sense, but it didn't have too. Peter saw it with his own eyes and it was going to stop.

Period.

With his teeth pressed to his daughter's neck, Peter cocked a brow. This was what his kid wanted and he was prepared to give it to her. It wasn't like this was a forever thing anyways. It would only last until her first century and really, what was a hundred years to a vampire that had forever? Be that as it may, however, just because he was prepared to do it, didn't mean he wanted to. Bella was hurt and angry and was reacting out of emotion rather than actual want. If she really knew and understood what she was asking for, he was positive she wouldn't want it, or at least, would think about it a little longer before asking him to do this.

When Jasper remained silent, looking lost for the absolute first time in his entire life, Peter found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. He didn't want Bella to think he was on Jasper's side in this because he wasn't, but she needed to hear what he had to say before this happened. Jasper had dug himself a deep grave this time, but Peter knew that she would listen to him if he would grow the balls to say what was on the tip of his tongue.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he shrugged a little. When he shifted his eyes away from Jasper, he concentrated on his emotions and hardened his own resolve knowing that it would also harden Jasper's enough to get him talking before his teeth broke skin.

Peter always could play Jasper like a well tuned fiddle.

All it took was a small flex of his jaw to get Jasper out of the fog of uncertainty and open his mouth.

"Please, Peter. Just... wait a minute."

Not picking his head up, Peter turned to look at Jasper, that brow still cocked and full of challenge.

Jasper looked at Peter and his mate, who wouldn't look at him, and swallowed hard. "Is there anyway to change your mind, Bella? Any way at all?"

Bella pressed her lips together and closed her eyes, refusing to look at him knowing she would do just that. She was convinced that this was for the best. The only way for him to ever see her as more than he has was for this to happen. It was the only way that he would ever be able to think clearly and productively and what he really wanted. She would never say it, but she was terrified that after her bond with Peter was broken he still wouldn't want her for her and only for what he could turn her into. After a torturous pause for all parties, she finally shook her head 'no'.

Looking down and crossing his arms, Jasper bit his lip slightly as his mind raced. That wasn't true, her emotions said as much. Now though, he had to figure out what it was that would change her mind and he had to do it without forcing her to.

After a moment, he looked back up and, after a quick glance at Peter, Jasper clicked his tongue quietly. "How about a compromise?"


	36. Chapter 36

Jasper's question hung in the air, heavy and overbearing in the already tense atmosphere. The shock value of the statement not appearing to affect Peter all that much, but it nearly floored Isabella. She had never known Jasper to compromise, not even as a human. Compromise spoke of middle ground and Jasper was one extreme or the other. There has never been such a thing as gray area with him, the world painted in black and white only to his eyes. It was so out of character that it demanded your any other influence.

Eyes flying open, Isabella's head snapped to the side, wide and unbelieving. Her lips were slightly parted as the air in her lungs was forced out from the blow to her mind. She simply stared at him for a moment, seeing the desire to actually try and to the impossible.

He was serious.

Blinking and head shaking, Isabella tripped over her tongue a few times before it obeyed her command. "But, you don't do compromise, Jasper. You do orders."

Jasper looked at his mate, crossing his arms and looking at the ground. "I know. But, can you find it in you to at least hear me out? I know I've been an asshole and I know I don't really deserve you to give me this after everything I took without asking. I know I don't really deserve you at all, but please Bella, five minutes. That's all I'm asking."

Biting her lip and dropping her head to look at the ground, Isabella sighed. She would be lying if she said she wasn't curious as to what he was going to say. She would also be lying if she said she didn't care. That was the problem. She cared a lot and he never seemed to until now, other than a very short amount of time in very sporadic spurts. And really, out of everything he has ever asked of her, five minutes of her time was nothing in comparison.

Peter, who was standing next to her being a silent observer, spoke up hoping to give her the last little push she needed to answer the request. "I think you should listen to him, Sugar." When she turned to look up at him, he continued. "What could it really hurt to as least hear him out? You still get final say. No one is gonna force you to do anything you don't want to."

Looking up at her sire, Isabella bit harder into her bottom lip for a moment before nodding and turning back to Jasper. "Alright. But only if you promise me, and really mean it, that this is going to be a real compromise, where I actually get a say in it and it's not a take it or leave it ultimatum. I meant what I said. I'm done being controlled."

For as surprised as he was at her consent, Jasper hid well enough. Nodding to her, "You have my word." He would never admit just how much it hurt to see the brow slide up his mate's forehead and disbelief spark in her eyes. Had he really fucked up that much that she didn't even believe him when he spoke anymore? Had he really broken his word that many times? When he saw the mirrored look on Peter's face, he got his answer to that; he had.

Even on the fence of taking Jasper at his word, Isabella crossed her arms, her shoulders hunched slightly showing just how awkward she felt right now. Not two minutes ago she was about to sever the bond between them and now she was playing nice with the one she was about to be severed from. She was really beginning to think this whole situation was nothing but a fucking joke and someone was going to jump out from somewhere with a camera and tell her she was on some vampire reality show. Grunting at her own thoughts, she looked at Jasper. "So, what do you suggest, Jazz?"

Knowing that he had to word this right the first time, knowing there was no do-over and this was it, Jasper took a deep breath and let it out slowly before throwing out the opening negotiation, since that was really what this was coming down to. Compromise was just a fancy word for it. "Wait until after the meeting with the coven leaders in three days. Then, after that's over, I will leave and let you do what it is you need to do with your sire. He said to stay away for a year..."

Isabella cut him off because this was the entire problem. "You didn't manage a full day, Jasper. You'll never make it a full year."

Biting back the not so nice retort that was on the tip of his tongue at being interrupted, Jasper nodded instead. "Bella, you do remember that Peter said that only your bond to me will be broken, right? Whether I walk away or he bites you, that bond is still going to be there on my end. How about this; do you want to be a newborn again?"

At that, Bella grunted. "Not really."

Jasper slightly cocked a brow, not in a condescending manner, but enough to be seen. "Well, that's going to happen if you do this. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I am simply reiterating the facts. Here is my proposal. After the meeting, I'll leave for a year, letting you learn what it was that you were denied for the last year. When that time is up, we try this again the right way."

Clicking her tongue, Isabella cocked a brow at him. "And what is the 'right way' to you? Because if it's anything like the last year, I'm going to go ahead and say 'no'. I'm not interested in that for two reasons. I am not interested in being controlled like a fucking moron that can't do anything on her own. Also, I am in no way interested in going back to the camp. THAT is not going to happen; period. I don't want to be a soldier anymore."

Nodding at her, Jasper agreed. "Fine. Besides, by the time that year is up, there won't be a camp anymore. What I meant by the right way was we do this the old fashioned way and date."

Peter barely held back the snort at the term 'date'. What the fuck were they going to do? Go out to dinner and a movie? Have a picnic of bag blood by a lake? Either way, he had to acknowledge that this was at least heading in the right direction, if not in a discombobulated sort of way. Jasper was showing that he was willing to work on his shortcomings and Isabella was standing up for herself. Two things that were LONG overdue.

However, this was going nowhere fast. Jasper was skirting the line of the actual problem and Bella was so confused at this point she didn't know what she really wanted, only what she didn't. Until she knew what she wouldn't compromise on, what her real demands were in this mating, this whole situation would be doomed to reach a conclusion anytime soon. For the fact they had forever, Peter was really impatient sometimes.

Looking back and forth between the two, Peter clicked his tongue. "Alright. I am going to have step in here." Pointing a finger over to Jasper, "You don't get the point." Looking down at Bella, "And you don't know what the point is. Nothing is going to be figured out or decided until you know what it is you want, not just what you don't. So, this is what IS going to happen and there is no compromise on it." Looking back over to Jasper, "You are going to leave her alone for the next three days. You are not going to see her, talk to her, manipulate her, nothing. For the next three days, she doesn't exist to you. During that time, You Little Lady, are going to sit and think about what it is you actually want, not taking into consideration anyone or anything but yourself. After this little meeting with the coven leaders, the three of us are going to sit down and discuss this over a beer or two and see if there is a compromise to be made or not."

Locking his eyes on Jasper's, Peter narrowed his eyes. "Do not think, for one second, that I am going to sit back and allow you to bully her into agreeing to ANYTHING that benefits only you. You have had complete reign of this relationship for a little too long and it's gone to your head. You need a reality check in a big way Jazz and it starts now. You don't run the show here, I do. That is something you need to keep in mind because no matter what you two come to an agreeance on, I am the final say. If I don't like it, it ain't going down. I know you, probably a little too well for your tastes right now, but that's just how it is. Knowing you as I do, I know there is going to be a loophole in there somewhere that will eventually find her right back here. And, for the record, if we ever reach this point again, there will be no third chance. Not only will I break this bond without a second thought, but you will literally never see her again, even after her century mark. Am I completely understood?"

Jasper looked at Peter for a long moment, taking in both the words and the deadly serious emotions that went with them. Peter wasn't fucking around anymore, that much was perfectly clear. He didn't think he was, not after the last couple of days and the level of viciousness he had been showing in keeping him away from Bella. Knowing there was no other option than to agree to Peter's terms, Jasper nodded. "Yeah, I get it."

Peter snorted hard in response. "I guess we'll see, won't we? Now, I suggest you get the fuck out and let us get back to what we were doing before you had your little hissy fit. There is a lot to get done and not a lot of time to do it."

*X*

Over the course of the those three days, Peter worked more with Bella on controlling her gift, but for the most part left her to her own devices. She had a lot to figure out and he wanted her to have the time necessary to do it. After everything she faced, everything she was put through, she had a lot to sort out. He would help her through points of confusion, but for the most part didn't interfere. This was about her and what she wanted and she was the only one that could figure that out.

It wasn't his place to tell her that, only to make sure she got it.

On the morning that the meeting with the coven leaders was scheduled, Peter walked into the living space of the hotel room and leaned on the back of the couch where Bella was stretched out, a book in her hands and looking like she didn't have a care in the world. Smirking at her as he cocked his head to the side, Peter chuckled. "For one of the most important days of your life, you look awfully calm."

Bella looked up at him with a silly little grin on her face, her eyes bright and glossy. "You would think that, but really, I'm just trashed."

Peter rolled his eyes a little at her with a snort. He was the one that told her that being shitfaced in times like this was perfectly alright and there was zero chance he was going to take it back. Bella didn't do all that well around really big groups of strangers without feeling cagy and tense. Being drunk would keep her relaxed enough to get through the meeting of the covens, but what was going to happen after that, the talk with Jasper, that he would have preferred her to be a least a little sober for.

Propping his chin in his palm and humming in his throat, Peter clicked his tongue. "So, you get everything all figured out, Sugar?"

Nodding as she sat up and tossed her book on the coffee table, Isabella turned to face him. "I have. I don't see Jasper liking it all that much, though."

At that, Peter shrugged. "Don't much matter, Sugar. He'll either deal with it or he won't. In the end, no matter what way that goes, you gotta stand your ground and not give up everything for anyone. You gotta do what's best for you eventually, Sugar, and I am gonna make sure you get it. Whether there is an agreement reached or this is left to be hashed out again in ninety-nine years, you aren't going to ever go through anything of the last year again, I ain't gonna allow it to."

Folding her arms on the back of the couch and lying her head on her forearms, Bella sighed as she looked at Peter. "Wanna know what I think?" When she saw his nod, she continued. "I think it's the environment we were in. Since we left Texas, Jasper has been far less of an ass than he usually is. He's had his moments of course, but they haven't been nearly as bad and really, they only happened when others were around."

Peter jumped in at that. "His behavior might be a product of the environment, that's true enough. However, while there were reasons he acted as he did in Texas, we ain't in Texas right now, are we? Don't make excuses for him, Sugar. While that might be true, it doesn't make make it right by any means or stretch of the imagination. We're going to deal with one thing at a time and right now, it's the coven meeting. Go get a shower and get ready to go. Jasper's already on his way there and Felix will be here in about fifteen minutes."

She she was getting ready to stand, Isabella paused at that last sentence. "Jasper already left?"

Nodding one and giving her a shove to get moving, Peter wrinkled his nose a little. "There are a lot of covens that do not get along well with others as well as nomads that could have not seen another vampire for decades. He's gotta be there to keep everyone civil for the next couple of hours."

Walking backwards one of the bedrooms and the shower, Bella cocked her head to the side. "Wait, if we can't get along with each other, how is this going to work?" It was the look Peter gave her that answered that. Pursing her lips and nodding, "Right, that would be where I come in. No pressure."

Peter smirked at her. "You'll do fine. Now, hurry up Sugar. We got shit to do."


	37. Chapter 37

When Peter and Isabella walked into the meeting, at first she didn't know how to act. There were a lot more vampires there than she had thought there was going to be for one, and for two, she hadn't seen Jasper in three days. She hadn't once been under his influence so it was a shock to her system to feel the oppression of his gift pressing down on her. It was almost involuntary when she attempted to fight the calm she was forced to feel when she was anything but. However, she wasn't used to fighting the effects of the Major's gift so she wasn't all that successful at it.

Walking between Peter and Felix, Isabella gave the room a once over, taking in all the different faces that were following her every move for whatever reason. Biting her bottom lip a little, she glanced up at Peter. "Why are they staring at me?"

Glancing down at her from the corner of his eye, Peter made a noise in his throat before he too took a gander around the room. Clicking his tongue, he shrugged. "Beats the fuck out of me, Sugar. However, my guess would be the same reason they stare at all us Southern Vamps. The scars tend to draw a lot of attention." When he saw Isabella's brow lift slightly, he just shrugged again. "What? It's true. If you don't like that answer, let's go with this one. By scent everyone here knows you're the Major's mate and you ain't with him currently. So, do you wanna be center stage for the scars or the fact that you're late to the party in their eyes?"

Biting her lip again, Isabella shrugged slightly. "I don't know."

At that, Peter smirked at her. "Then shut it. Besides, you got other things to focus on than why you're tonight's sideshow."

Grabbing Peter's wrist and pulling him to a stop, Isabella then pulled him down to her level and lowered her voice. "What am I going to say here, Peter? Seriously, think about this for a minute. What if this doesn't work?"

The look that Peter gave her when she asked that had even her questioning her intelligence. So, instead of letting him get out the snappy comment on the tip of his tongue, she clamped her hand over his mouth. "Never mind, don't answer that."

Winking at her and smirking into her hand, Peter stood back up to his full height and, setting a hand on the small of her back, pushed her towards the front of the room. "Thought so. Just relax, Sugar. You're my offspring, therefore you have inherited my ability to bullshit your way through anything with a little extra juice added to the mix. Now, let the Major work his mojo so you can work yours. Then snap, crack, Bob's your Uncle, we're out of here and BOOM, no more shadows."

Lip curling up in the corner, Isabella looked up at Peter, her face covered in confusion. "The fuck did you just say?"

Giving a lift of his shoulder, Peter snickered. "Don't matter. Now, smile Sugar. It's show time."

Smirking a little and lowering her voice, Isabella giggled. "You have no idea, do you?"

Peter just gave her the finger as he took up residence against the wall next to the platform that Jasper was standing on waiting on their arrival.

Awkward didn't even come close to describe the feeling that engulfed both Isabella and Jasper when she stepped up to his side on the small stage. It was nearly painful to watch as they made every attempt to not touch the other, both for different reasons. Jasper didn't think his touch would currently be welcome and Isabella was just not comfortable with the situation. If this small interaction was this bad, how much worse would it be later?

Giving herself a mental shake, she nodded slightly when Jasper asked her if she was ready for this. She wasn't so much ready for the speech. She was just ready for all of this bullshit to be done with. Unfortunately, the speech was part of that.

Looking at his mate, Jasper took in her posture and demeanor. He had a million things he wanted to say to her in that moment; words of encouragement, praise, confidence. However, he said nothing to her and instead turned to the crowd of assembled vampires and cleared his throat, not knowing how much his silence in that moment was going to cost him in the end.

"Let me start by saying thank you for coming. I know that most of you prefer to stay within your territories and live your lives as you always have. However, over the past few days many things have changed within our world, things that need to be known by all. I expect that those present pass this on to the ones that have not shown up for this."

Isabella stood next to Jasper listening with half an ear for her cue to jump in and give her little speech. She still didn't know what she was going to say, but she figured it would come to her; it always did. No, what her main focus at that moment was Jasper's lack of care to her and her stress level. She knew that he knew she was tied up in knots at the moment and she couldn't believe he said nothing at all. He didn't even give her so much as a fucking thumbs up. Seriously, did he think this was all a joke? That it was over and a done deal on a compromise?

No, not even close.

Yes, she had figured out the terms on her end of this, figured out what she wanted out of their relationship. She had even gone as far as letting a couple of them go knowing they would never be agreed to. Now, fuck that. If he was still going to be a selfish prick, she decided right then and there it was time for her to be a selfish little bitch and get exactly what she wanted, even if she didn't get it with Jasper.

Crossing her arms and glaring a little out of the corner of her eyes, Isabella huffed. Fucker. Shaking her head and rolling it on her shoulders, she then turned to the crowd as they went into an uproar at the statement of the Volturi being disbanded and Aro being dead. The reaction wasn't wholly unanticipated, but it was still a little shocking to see that there were others outside Aro clutches that actually cared whether or not he was alive. Not prepared for the anger, she reacted in probably oddest way she could.

She snorted.

Whether that was her actual cue or not was at that point was irrelevant. Every single set of eyes in the room was looking at her, a wide range of emotions filling the red orbs staring at her. Sighing slightly, she shrugged at them.

"Oh, Please. I don't buy this reaction for a second. What? You think that you're going to get brownie points for pretending to be pissed off about that jackass getting exactly what he deserved? Doubtful. Do you honestly think that there is a single one of you that doesn't know that the one next to them is a lying bastard for voicing outrage over this? None of you care so don't insult us by insinuating otherwise.

"Just like there is not a single one of you that care, there is also not a single one of you that are not relieved at the news of Aro's demise. You are all acting like this is not what you have wanted, what you have dreamed of. Every last one of you here are ecstatic over this, you're just afraid to show it.

"And why is that, I wonder? Is it the unknown? Is it the anarchy you think will happen that you fear? Or, is it as simple as the presence of known guard members that have your panties in a twist? Let me put all of those to rest right now. Your fears are unnecessary. These known Volturi are no more Aro supporters than I am, than most of you are. As for the anarchy, well, that would depend on you, wouldn't it?

"Are we not all grown up and perfectly capable of doing what is expected of us, without the threat of death hanging over our heads? Are we not capable of acting our ages, whatever they happen to be, and behaving without a parent threatening to bust our asses? Come on now, think about it for a moment. There were vampires long before Aro was ever even a thought between his human parents and they got on perfectly well without him telling them what they could and couldn't do. He was never the powerhouse he pretended to be. He was nothing more than what we as a race made him out to be.

"It wasn't his guard that kept us in line, it was our own fear that did that. Fear of punishment, fear of death, fear of our own mortality and absolution. His greatest weapon wasn't a gifted vampire that stood forcibly at his side doing his bidding, it was our own instincts. He used our self-preservation against us knowing that we would rather bow to a tyrant than risk our necks going against him. His power didn't come from what he had, it came from us. He was a bitch that we made a god amongst us out of fear and miscommunication."

Walking down the steps of the stage to the floor, Isabella crossed her arms and cocked her head. "The question to ask now is relatively simple, I believe. What do we do now? The answer to that, I'm afraid, is not so simple. There are an abundance of different directions we can go now. We can continue as we have been, find another to fear and lord over us telling us what we can do. We can pretend that Aro is still alive and forget this whole little meeting took place and go on as it never happened." Pausing a moment, she perked up, holding up a finger. "Or, there is a third option, believe it or not."

Walking through the crowd that parted for her, the masses hanging on her every word, she was joined by Felix and Demetri, Peter and Jasper opting to stay back and let her have her moment while the two ex-guard members saw to her safety. Peter and Jasper knew what she was doing having seen her do it before. She was heading to the balcony doors, planning on using the outside world as a visual aid to drive her points home.

When Isabella reached the doors at the opposite end of the room, she grabbed the curtains and ripped them open before she then pushed on the glass, opening the doors as well. Turning back the room, she held out an arm, pointing outside. "Listen closely and tell me you can't hear it. Tell me you can't hear the cries and the begging for help. Listen to all of it and tell me you don't care, that you don't want to lend a hand and free those poor humans from the oncoming life of torture. Tell me those sounds don't crack your hearts and thaw your souls. Why, when we have every resource to help them, do we stand here and do nothing? Why do we allow this to happen when it doesn't have to? Because someone told us not to? Because someone that is miles away from us on any given day said we weren't allowed? That it was dangerous for them to know about us? Well, I say fuck that. Standing by and doing nothing when we know it's wrong makes us no better than the scum that actually have those people's blood on their hands."

Crossing her arms and licking her lips, Isabella sighed. "Our normal meals consist of humans that have families; husbands, wives, children, siblings, people that matter and people that don't deserve to die while the human prisons are rot with humans that do. Murderers, rapists, pedifiles; all living for years on the back of the society they tormented and destroyed. The families of the victims pay for them to live. How is that justice? How is that fair? I am not saying I have been overly picky in my meals over my life thus far, but I will say that I would rather end a life that was thrown away over one that was - and still is - growing, still needed."

Taking a few step backwards, Isabella stepped into the sun, staring at the masses that stared back in horror. "Have you forgotten what this feels like yet? Have you forgotten how good the sun felt on your skin? How warm it is? How warm it makes you when you bask in the heat that we are denied because of our nature? There is not a single person here that asked to be what we are. There is not a one in this room that woke up one morning and said to themselves, 'huh, I'm bored being a human. I think I am going to go out and get bit by a vampire today'. Anyone that says otherwise is a fucking liar."

Isabella paused for a long moment, letting her words sink in before she crossed her arms. "Now, I am not saying we should all just skip merrily into the sun and scare the shit out of humanity. What I am saying is, I believe that we can live together with them instead of hiding from them. We don't need to fear what they might do to us like Aro wanted us to believe for so long. I was at one time a human that ran with vampires before I was changed. If one human can see past the fact that we are a thing of myth and legend, I can only assume there are others that would as well. We could do so much good for this world, for humanity. Why don't we? Why can't we? There is so much evil in this world, and not just us and others of the supernatural persuasion. You see the news and there are humans out there that are far worse than we could ever DREAM of being."

Stopping her speech when she was interrupted, Isabella nodded and allowed the vampire to voice his question. "What is it, exactly, that you are proposing?"

Isabella smiled slightly, a few teeth showing when she look at him. "Simple. I am proposing that we tell the humans they are not alone in the world."

The room erupted into near chaos at the announcement, Felix and Demetri moving from the side and taking up defensive positions in front of Isabella on the off chance someone decided to be really fucking stupid. Isabella winced at the pitch of the noise and snapped her attention to the stage when Peter blew a high pitched whistle.

He waited until all eyes were on him and crossed his arms. "The next son of a bitch that yells at my kid will deal with me. I was the one that killed Aro so do not think for a second I have any issues killing any one of you." Glaring at the mass of vampires that were looking at him, Peter shook his head. "Seriously, y'all are acting like a bunch of fucking retards. If there was not a plan in place already, this wouldn't even be discussed. Until fifteen minutes ago, y'all thought that the bastard was still alive and that you were bound by his fucked up laws. Got news for ya, there are still rules to follow here. The biggest one y'all gonna keep in mind is I STILL don't tolerate someone yelling at a lady in my presence. Now, shut the fuck up and pay attention. This shit's important."

Isabella smiled at Peter slightly, tapping Felix and Demetri on the arms and jerking her head to the side to tell them to move. Once she could see the room again, she cleared her throat to get the room's attention. "I said we were not just going to stroll from this room into the sun. No, we are not. We are, however, going to let them know we are here, a little at a time. We start with the highest and most influential humans and slowly trickle down through the ranks. Once we have the high flyers on our side, then they smaller ones will be cake walk. This will mean changes with feeding habits, but not as much as you would think. All it means is that you have to be a little more picky about your meal choices.

"Also, no one will lose their territories. Not an inch of land that you have claimed will be lost by anyone. What it will mean, however, is that you get to be a little more vicious when other, less civilized nomads wander into your territories because it will be expected of you to protect the humans that live within your borders.

"What we are going to do is show humanity that we are not as bad as legend says we are. All of you have protected your borders and every human that lives in them for decades I'm sure. What you will have to do is be a little more public about it. Don't be afraid to be seen doing it. Don't be a hidden and silent protector anymore. Let them SEE you save their lives from our kind as well as theirs. Let them know they are safe in their homes. Let them call on you. Let them know they don't have to be afraid to go out at night. Let the evil that lives within your borders know it is not going to be tolerated. Let the man that takes what he wants and leaves only pain and devastation in his wake know that it is not alright and you won't stand for it. You have always seen the human residences in your lands as yours. It is time to let them know you protect what's yours, that you always have and always will.

"We don't have to change. We just have to be who and what we are. We are instinct driven creatures. We are compelled by our nature to be possessive of our shit." Pausing for only a beat, "Now it's time to be possessive little bastards in the warmth of the sun and not just the cold of the night."

This time when the room erupted, it was in applause instead of chaos. Isabella had a grin on her face when she looked up at the stage this time, seeing both Peter and Jasper clapping as well. Peter gave her a smirk and Jasper winked at her, making her start slightly before she smiled wide.

Jasper might be an asshole, but he was her asshole and she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being. She knew how he was and maybe she had jumped too quickly to a conclusion about his lack of action before. She would hear him out see what he had to say, but she was still firmly on the side of the fence on making sure that the 'compromise' that was about to be discussed included a few very particular items.


	38. Chapter 38

Isabella was tied in knots as she stood with Felix and Demetri. She had done her job of getting the coven leaders on board and now it was up to Peter and Jasper to explain the plans that were in place. She tuned it all out, already knowing what those were since it was her idea in the first place.

At the moment, all she could do was think about the sit-down with Jasper and second guess herself and her choices on what she was going to say she needed for the relationship to go forward. There were some things even that she knew he wouldn't agree to, but she wanted to see just how far he was willing to bend before he snapped. There were really only two things she wanted out of this and she already told him what they were.

She wouldn't tolerate being controlled anymore and she was done being a soldier.

She would be perfectly happy with just those two things. However, there were others she would like and was going to try her luck at getting them agreed to, even if it was just to a certain point.

She had sighed so many times while running her thoughts over and over in her mind that she had inadvertently drawn the attention of her two guardians.

Felix and Demetri looked at each other before Felix elbowed Isabella. When she looked up at him, he cocked a brow. "You need to calm down. Things will always work out as they are meant to."

Sighing once again, Isabella crossed her arms. "Do you think he can really change?"

Felix hummed as he wrinkled his nose. "I think that when faced with the real prospect of losing the most important thing to you, you reevaluate your stances and adjust accordingly. Can that be considered really changing? That debatable, but it's possible. To a male vampire, there is no greater pain or shame than having your mate taken from you by their Sire. If it happens, he'll remain mated to you while YOU'RE no longer mated to him. I don't honestly know if the Major can change, Little One. That's something that only time is going to show."

Demetri chimed as well. "Jasper is perfectly capable of adapting to any situation. You, however, still have to learn how to do that when it's not life or death. What you have to figure out is, is Jasper the best person to teach you that. Sire bonds trump mating bonds true enough, however when mated it's the mate's responsibility to teach their other half how to survive in their absence. Jasper taught you to fight, but did he teach you to survive? There is a difference. We all saw what happened on the field against Aro the other day, Stella. He made you cocky and gave you an ego, two things that are really bad for a female your age. It will be harder for you to learn anything he tries to teach you that goes against what he already has. We as a race are selfish and it's time you began to look out for you and stop worrying about him. He's nearly two hundred years old. He's a big boy and can face the consequences of his actions."

Closing her eyes and rubbing her temples, Isabella shook her head. "What the fuck am I going to do?"

Demetri poked Isabella in the stomach and waited for her to look at him again. When she did, he gave her a look that made her blink. It was very close to the one Peter gave her. "You're going to calm down and realize that no matter which way this goes between the two of you, that it isn't permanent. You and Jasper are mates, nothing is going to change that. Not time and not distance. Whether Jasper walks away for a time and leaves you in the care of your Sire or the bond is severed until your century birthday, in the end, you two still belong to each other and always will.

"What this comes down to isn't Jasper's willingness to agree and adhere to terms and boundaries for your relationship. It comes down to is who is the best suited to make sure you can survive if something happens to him. If Peter and Jasper were to have died on the field the other day, would you be able to? Can you hunt for yourself? Can you distinguish between fight or flight? Do you know territory markings on the chance you cannot pick up a scent trail to know if you're in someone else's territory? Can you control your own emotions so you can think clearly and not react on the first thing that pops in your head? These are basic newborn 101 lessons you should have learned in your first couple of months and I already know you cannot do any of them. Stop thinking about him and start thinking about you because if something were to happen to him, you are all you're going to have."

Isabella just stared at him for a moment before she snorted and shook her head. "How do you know all this?"

Demetri smirked and crossed his arms. "The smartass answer is, The Volturi know everything. The real answer is, I'm over two thousand years old. There isn't a lot I haven't seen in my life. You are not the first to have a Sire step in on a female's behalf in a mating situation gone wrong. You are, however, the first that I know of that the Sire and the male in the mating actually know each other. That's irrelevant though. Iz, in complete seriousness, I know you care about him. I know you have true feeling for him. I know he cares about you and somewhere his are real. But, it isn't healthy for you to be completely and totally dependant on him. It is just as deadly for a vampire as it is for a human. I'm not trying to talk you into going one way or the other. I am making sure you know everything so that when you make your choice, it's for the right reasons and not based on emotion."

Isabella sighed and bit her lip for a moment before she looked at the two guards again. "What would you do?"

Felix snorted. "I would beat the fuck out of him. But, you not me. Look at it this way, Stella. You have a very long life ahead of you. Do you want to be held back and forced to do another's bidding or do you want to be able to stand up for yourself? If you do not do it now and you cave, things will never change and you'll be stuck. Even if Peter severs your bond, when your connection to him is up and Jasper reclaims you, as I know he would, there is nothing to say that he will not be the person he is now because you are not going to force him to be anything different and there is nothing anyone will be able to do to help you. That said, no one wants to see a mated couple being torn apart. But, no one wants to see a female being mistreated either. It is a thin line to walk for both sides. Your Sire only wants what's best for you and your male should want the same. When the two opinions differ to the extreme that Peter and Jasper's do, you need to take to heart the advice of your Sire. Of the two, he is the one with no motive and nothing to gain or lose. He is also incapable of doing anything that can harm you."

Isabella nodded. "He told me that before."

Felix nodded back. "And he told no lies... for once. If you would have asked him the same things you asked us, both here and back at the palace before, he would have told you everything we have. He wants for you what any father would want for his child; only the best. You do not have to follow what he says, but you should always LISTEN to what he has to say. The choice, however, will always be yours to make. If you make a mistake, he'll always be there to help you correct it."

Felix paused there and rubbed his chin, glancing off to the side to where Peter and Jasper were talking to the most influential of the coven leaders before turning back and lowering his voice. "You asked what I would do in your place and this is the answer. I would spend time repairing my relationship with my sire before I worried about any other connection I had. No matter how old we get, we always feel that connection. After the first one hundred years it just becomes a bond through venom but means very little, but we always feel it until the day either we or our Sire dies and that loss is a feeling of indescribable proportion whether you actually like your Sire or not."

Isabella's brow drew down. "You lost your sire?"

With a sigh, Felix nodded. "Aro was my sire. I hated him with every fiber of my being, but I still feel his death. My advice is to fix things with Peter and then worry about Jasper."

Isabella was struck silent at the admission. She just stared at Felix for a minute before she was able to form any kind of response but was unable to say it before Peter appeared at her side.

He crossed his arms and looked down at her. "We're done here. Are you ready to go have that chat with Jasper?"

Isabella looked up at Peter for a moment, letting everything she was told run through her mind before taking a deep breath and nodding. "Yeah, let's get this over with." Before she turned to follow Peter, she looked at Felix, her unspoken apology shining in her eyes to which he nodded at before she looked at Demetri. "I'm holding up my end of the deal. Now it's your turn to hold up yours."

Demetri cocked his head with a little smirk on his lips. "I will, don't worry. Good luck, Isabella." Then a spark of amusement ignited in his eyes. "It's been fun."

Knowing exactly what he was talking about, Isabella gave him a flat look before giving him the finger, turning her back on him and jogging after Peter and towards her fate.

*X*

The room was tense and awkward as Isabella and Jasper sat across a table from each other, Peter standing behind Isabella's chair with his arms crossed loosely over his chest. He wasn't trying to intimidate Jasper at this point, it was just the most comfortable position for him.

For Jasper, it was odd and slightly painful for him to see the one person that had always had his back have someone else's against him. The more that this situation unraveled, the worse it was really turning out to be. It was triangle clusterfuck of migraine magnitude. All three of them were torn between two of them and with all the different shit that connected them, it just made this worse.

Jasper was Peter's sire and Peter was barely out of his first century. Peter was Isabella's sire and Isabella was barely out of her newborn year. Isabella was Jasper's mate and Isabella was so young her connection to both Peter and Jasper were almost at war with each other. All three of them were traversing the forest of rocks and hard places because there wasn't really a good foreseeable outcome to this. They were all connected to each other and there was nothing that was going to change that. The more Jasper ran the situation at hand through his head, the more he was starting to see that no one was going to walk away from this free, clear and unscathed.

Everyone was going to lose something.

Lifting his eyes from his mate to his childe, Jasper forced himself to stop thinking like a prick and start thinking like a sire when his eyes connected with Peter's. There were so many things running a gauntlet in Peter's eyes that Jasper struggled not to look away. Peter was more to him than just a childe and always had been. He was Jasper's best friend and brother. He had always been there when Jasper needed him, no questions asked. Now, things were different. Peter was the sire to a very young female and that came before anything else in his life and as a sire, he understood that.

Also, as a sire, Jasper could see that he wasn't being fair.

Peter wasn't trying to do anything against him as a person, he was doing what he had to as Isabella's sire, nothing more. Jasper was Charlotte's sire and he couldn't say that he wouldn't do the same thing had Peter actually claimed her and then did what he had done to Bella. As a matter of fact, Jasper wouldn't have given this chance to Peter. He would have broken the bond and that would have been that. Apparently, Peter didn't think that severing the mating bond was in Bella's best interest or he would have just done it.

Returning his eyes to his mate, Jasper took in the look in her eyes and let her emotions wash over him, fighting back a wince and the onslaught of confusion and negativity. She was terrified at how this was going to go, that was plain as day. What she didn't know, however, was he was literally willing to do whatever she asked. He didn't want to lose her. He could admit he needed her far more than she would ever need him. Peter was right when he said that she didn't need him, she really didn't. She had Peter willing to raise her and fix every mistake Jasper had made over the last six months, to teach her how to live and survive on her own.

Really, Jasper was the lucky one in this and he finally realised that.

Bella genuinely cared about him, truly loved him for who he was somehow. For the longest time, Jasper had loved the fact he could change her, mold her into something that she never was. She wasn't what he had turned her into, she was right about that. But, he hadn't cared. All he cared about was obedience and submission, two things that should have been the furthest from his mind. The last time they talked, she had pointed out so many things he had not cared about and willingly overlooked and happily ignored. Faced with the repercussions and consequences of doing so for so long was such a blow that he nearly suffocated on breath he didn't even need.

It wasn't even that he didn't want to lose her. No, it was more that he couldn't. The mere thought actually turned his stomach. He didn't know what had come over him, but it was way past time to let go of complete control and do what was best for her, not for him. If it was what she needed, than it was what he wanted.

An unseen smile lit in Peter's eyes when he saw the change in Jasper's. It was about fucking time the asshole finally drew the right conclusion. This would have been a lot more difficult had he continued to be a selfish bastard. While Peter was prepared to do what he had too, it didn't mean he wanted to. It wouldn't have done any good in the long run. All it would have done was hurt his kid and made Jasper harder to deal with once he could claim her again. The situation sucked but as long as Jasper kept in mind that this wasn't about him, there would be more options to choose from. No one was going to get everything they wanted, but there would at least be a more level playing field after it was over.

Clearing his throat, Peter leaned on the back of Bella's chair. "So, who's going to start?"

Isabella and Jasper looked at each other for a second before Jasper waved a hand. "Ladies first."

Isabella bit her lip before she sighed and looked Jasper in the eyes. "The biggest is I don't want to be controlled anymore. I don't want to be ordered around. That includes my emotions. I want to learn to control them on my own and not have you change them to suite your needs at any given moment. I want my opinions and thoughts to matter. I want to be asked and given the chance to say no and that be respected. I don't want to be an immortal puppet and eternal pet. I get that males and females aren't equal in this world, but I don't want to be so far below you I am less than the shit on the bottom of your boots. I don't want to be a soldier anymore. I flat out refuse to go back to that place ever again. That is less than undebatable."

Then more time she went without interruption, the more Isabella just let loose and gave demand after demand, holding nothing of her feelings or stances back. This was the first time in over a year she had a real voice and there was no silencing it. Also, the more she talked, the less inclined she was to back down or give Jasper an out. There was nothing overly selfish she wanted in her mind. All she wanted was a real relationship where she really mattered. She wanted him to care about the real her, to want the real her and not what he created. She didn't want to go back to where his word was law. She didn't want to spend the rest of forever being walked all over and told she was wrong.

She made it clear she wanted him with her, but she also made it clear that it wouldn't continue as it had. If he wouldn't, or couldn't, give her that much then she felt it best they part ways and call it quits. It wasn't what she really wanted to happen, but one way or another she was going to fuckng matter and that was one point she wouldn't compromise on.

Jasper sat there and listened to everything she said, taking it in and letting it settle. He would nod at each point to tell her he understood her position and what she was saying. On a few there was a raised brow or tilt of the head, but he never interrupted her. When she went silent for a moment to form her nest thought, Jasper glanced up at Peter and saw a wide grin on his face. Even without his empathy, Jasper could see how proud of Bella he was and had to admit, he was as well. He returned his attention to Bella when she shifted in her seat a little.

Bella rolled her shoulders and sat a little straighter in her chair. This was the last thing on her list and she knew it was going to be the defining moment of how this was going to end. Still, she swallowed and cleared her throat. "I want the chance to learn to do for myself without interference. If something happens to you in the future, I want to be able to survive. I want to learn how to control my gift properly and not have it crop up when I don't want it too. I want to have the relationships I'm supposed to and I want them to be what they are supposed to be." She didn't hesitate, but she did pause to lick her lips. "Starting with the one with my sire. I didn't have a great relationship with Charlie and now I'll never have the chance to fix that. I don't want to make the same mistake twice. I want one on one time with Peter so that I can learn and so we can repair the damage that was done. I didn't ask for this life. I didn't ask to be your mate. Both were forced on me and now, I am taking back what was mine to begin with, my choices. Whether I want it or not, this is my life and damn it, I deserve a say in how I live it."

After she was done, she dropped back against her chair, emotionally exhausted but ready to stand up for what she said and for the fight on the horizon.

Jasper just sat there there for a moment before he crossed his arms, face blank. "Anything else?" When he saw her shake her head, he cocked his. "Alright, if that's what you want. However, there are a few things that you're going to have to bend on a little. The biggest is, while we're mated, my word is law."

Giving her head a shake, Isabella went to stand up, figuring that was that and there was no changing him only for Peter to grab her by the back of of the neck and force her to sit back down.

Not letting her go, Peter set a hand on the table next to her and leaned forward, looking at the side of her head. "I don't think so, Sugar. You said your piece and now it's his turn, that's how this works."

Turning to look at him, Isabella scoffed. "But you said..."

Peter cut her off. "I know what I said. I said a mating is not one sided and there is give and take. You spent twenty minutes ripping him apart and he said nothing. You don't get to storm out just because he said one thing you didn't like. You're are going to sit here and hear him out. He didn't like most of you said and he stayed. You own him the same courtesy. If you want to be treated with the respect you're demanding, earn it. I'm not going to let him screw you, but at the same time, I'm not going to let you just walk away. You don't understand the consequences of doing so. You're refusal to listen shows Jazz might not be the only one that needs to change. I know you're tired of this. I'm tired of seeing it. However, The only way this will ever work is if common ground can be found. A mating isn't kittens and rainbows. It isn't if one is happy the other is. You both have to be or your lives together are going to suck. Breaking this bond only lasts until your first century and then it can be reestablished. If you don't hash this out now and figure out the finer points of the foundation, the next time will have resentment and hard feelings and I won't be able to do anything about it. Now, sit down, shut up and listen. You might find out that it's not as bad as you think. You want to hate me for making you do this, go ahead. It ain't nothing I'm not used to."

Isabella stared at Peter for a moment before she sighed and nodded. Turning back to Jasper, she settled back in her seat and let out a breath. "Okay, go ahead."

Jasper cocked a brow at her. "I don't blame you for not liking what I said, but it's the way it is. However, I'll back off unless it's in a time of necessity and there isn't time for a debate. I already agreed to not going back to the camp and everything else can be solved by giving you the time you already want alone with Peter. I said I would leave for the year Peter demanded and I'm still willing to do that."

It wasn't that she didn't believe him, but Isabella couldn't understand that. Her nose wrinkled a little. "Why?"

Jasper gave an uncomfortable clearing of his throat. "I know that I haven't been the kind of mate I should have been to you. I know that I have done a lot of shit over the last year that I shouldn't have done. I didn't do any of it in your best interest. That was probably the farthest thing from my mind. I did it all thinking that no one would ever challenge it and for once, I would get what I wanted. However, as you pointed out, I don't know what that is and the only way to figure it out would be to not have the option of trial and error. It's not fair to you and, even though I have been piss poor at best in showing it, I do want you to be happy. I do know that much. If the key to your happiness lies in my absence then that's what needs to happen.

"You were right in the sense that if something were to happen to me you wouldn't have the tools or the knowledge to surviving on your own and I did that to you on purpose. I knowingly neglected your upbringing and that's not something that a man should do to his mate. I fucked up and was called on it by more than a few people in the last couple of weeks. You put up with more than you should have and more than anyone else would have. It's time we both took a step back and took a breather from the entirety of my screw up. You've suffered enough at my hands and I don't want to see you do it anymore. I would rather this be a willing separation and it be on favorable terms than to see you suffer through the pain of severing our mating bond. You really don't know what you're asking in doing that. It's more than the surface and it goes deeper than the removal of the emotional ties. It won't make this better and it won't make anything easier.

"So, I am going to give you everything you asked for. I am going to give you back what was taken from you. I am going to let you become what you were meant to be with no interference from me. I am going to finally do what I always should have and do what's best for you and that's to allow your Sire to raise you. Peter was always better suited to see to your care than I was. Outside the camp, he knows better how to act than I do, how to hunt properly and fit in in and around humans. He was the one that taught me. I have no doubts that by the time this year is up, you'll be perfectly capable of distinguishing the difference between needing me around and wanting me around because right now, it's muddled for the both of us. Next year, after we both figure out what we want, we'll do this again the right way."

As far as Jasper was concerned, that was all that was left to be said. He smiled at his mate, nodded at Peter and stood to leave. As he was walking to the door, Bella panicked and shot out of her seat, darting across the room to get in front of him. When he stopped and look down at her, she looked back at him with venom covered eyes.

"What if things change too much?"

Jasper gave her a half smile, a little chuckle in his throat. "That's the point, Darlin', they need to. Not just things between us but everywhere, everything. Nothing can move forward in the chain of evolution without it. There is more than one way to incur it but you can never stop it." His eyes then softened as he cupped her cheek. "We can't go as we are. Things have to change if we are to move forward and make this work. Everything changes, My Love, they have to. Every choice, every option changes something and they all have consequences that will eventually need to be faced. I still have to face the karma kickback of trying to eat you six years ago and it seems it's time to pay the piper. You'll be fine, I know you will."

Biting her lip and swallowing hard, Isabella let out a hard, short breath. "What about you?"

Jasper clicked his tongue and smirked. "I would worry too much about me there Bella. You should really be more worried about what Peter has in store for you." Turning her head up, he dipped his and whispered against her lips. "I'll see you soon."

Isabella closed her eyes when she felt his lips press to hers, a slight whimper sounding out into the room when there was a gust of wind that signaled Jasper's departure. Opening her eyes and turning to the balcony in time to see the drapes settle from his exit, she swallowed hard and crossed her arms.

Peter came to stand next to her, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sugar. It's true what they say." He looked down at her and smiled when she looked back at him. "Absence does make the heart grow fonder."


	39. Chapter 39

**Epilogue**

Isabella thought this day was never going to come as she stood alongside her sire on the front porch of the house they have been living in for the last year.

And what a year it had been.

She had no idea there was so much she had missed out on, that there was so much to learn about this life she had. There was a never ending itinerary of lessons and skills that needed to be imparted to her that she was positive that even with the forever she had, she would never get to end. Everyday was a learning experience. There was always something new. There was always room for improvement. What she had once thought to be a perfect creature turned out to be anything but.

She had seen first hand that they do make mistakes and made messes that could rival any human. Vampires had perfect recall but their foresight sucked. They didn't always make the right choice when presented with more than one option. There were many times over the last year that she knew that Peter wanted to kill her due to poor choices made by not thinking shit through. Of the last three hundred and sixty-five days she spent three hundred and twelve of them grounded.

Peter didn't take the daddy role lightly.

Isabella looked up at him, a slight smile on her face. Sure, he had been an asshole for the most part, but she also knew it was for good reason. She had been a brat for the first month of the separation with Jasper, not knowing how to handle it because she had never had too before. She wasn't used to having to control herself or her emotions. She didn't know what it was like to feel the full effect of her bloodlust for extended periods of time. The only thing she knew how to do on her own the day Jasper left was control her strength. Other than that, she was more or less a year and a half old newborn with life experience.

Peter had been patient with her, but that didn't mean that he put up with any bullshit from her. He was the same point blank blunt asshole that he had always been. However, he still took care on how he handled her and her tantrums when she was angry or hungry, working with on her on how to come out of the rage that both induced. He never starved her, but he did push her to be able to go longer without feeding. At this point, she was able to go nearly two weeks without feeding and still be around humans. Her eyes darkened on day ten and she would drool a little come day twelve, but she didn't try and attack until day thirteen. She still had a way to go, but within a year, Peter was happy with the progress so she was too.

The hardest part, at least for her, was learning to control her gift. It was almost like Peter and his intuition. It seemed like it had a life of its own and couldn't be controlled. It was always the most potent when she wasn't actively trying to use it or when it was a situation that she couldn't get out of without it. After nearly two solid months of trying to force its submission to her will, Peter had given up on that front and took a different approach. He would purposely put her in fucked up situations and watch as she tried to talk herself out of it.

It only didn't work once and Peter ended up having to come to her rescue. To this day she was still amazed that that altercation didn't come to blows. She also wasn't wholly convinced that he himself didn't have a form of the Gab Gift with how he talked himself out of that one. The other dude was pissed.

Outside of those few things she was still working on, she had learned the basics of tracking her meal and how to dispose of it. She had learned everything she needed to know about the different territory markers so she didn't have another issue like that one time. It wasn't easy and it certainly didn't come naturally. It was really hard most of the time to tell the difference between an active nomad territory and one that wasn't. There was more than once that she couldn't tell if the nomad had moved on or not. Most of the time all it took was an a quick word with Peter and that was that. Other times she needed to talk herself out of it, and once Peter nearly ended up in a territory war. He had taken it all in stride though, stepping in only when needed and letting her learn on her own.

The shittest part of this was that she wasn't allowed contact with Jasper to tell him of her progress. She was proud of her accomplishments and wanted to share them with him, but Peter refused to let her call him. The point of this was for her to learn to do things on her own and Peter knew good and damn well that Jasper would have taken any phone call to mean that she wasn't able to do this and thus undoing everything by showing up.

What Isabella didn't know, however, was that Peter himself was keeping Jasper updated on her milestones. Once a month there would be a call that Peter would excuse himself to take and she never thought to ask him who it was, figuring that it was Charlotte and not caring enough to get confirmation.

Also, over the last year, Peter and Isabella had gotten a lot closer. There were still times that they got into a fight over this or that that usually ended in a remodel of the house, but they were fewer and farther between now. He also kept his promise to get her a car, sacrificing one of his own to teach her how to drive as a vampire. At first she didn't think there could possibly be that big of a difference, but very quickly found out it was when she put her foot through the floorboard of the car when she hit the brakes too hard.

All in all, for the two of them, it wasn't a horrible experience. A lot was accomplished over the last year and, now that Isabella was more confident and self reliant, together they would tackle the issues that came with being mated at such a young age. Peter had promised her that he would continue to be there to guide her and keep her on the path she was currently on. He also made sure she knew that that extended to making sure that Jasper didn't overstep the now clearly defined boundaries or undo any of the work that was done in his absence.

Isabella turned back to the drive when there was an engine revved at the gates, a spark of excitement igniting in her gut. Finally, to the second of a year passing, Jasper was back within her sights.

*X*

Just outside the open gates to Peter's house, Jasper pulled over to the side of the road and just sat there for a time, letting the fact he was finally going to see his mate again wash over him. While he had been extremely busy over the last twelve months with getting everything set up for the great reveal to the humans, he had felt her absence every second of that time. He missed her and couldn't wait to have her back in his arms where she belonged.

There wasn't a moment that she wasn't on his mind, that she didn't takeover his thoughts. It didn't matter what he was doing, she was there to haunt him. The last time he saw her the scent and feel of her fear and sadness over the way things had to go tortured him. He had meant what he said before he left, that changes were needed, but he had been left wondering if that was enough to calm her. He hadn't stayed to find out, didn't know the way his words of parting affected her.

He had actually been surprised when Peter took his first call, but not at all when he was denied the chance to speak with her. Peter had no problems with answering his question about how she was doing, but he wouldn't go into her mental state, only on her progress. If Jasper pushed the issue and made a demand to know, Peter would hang up on him and that would be that. He had no idea where the fuck Peter and Bella were until twelve hours ago so there was no chance of him showing up. Peter wouldn't tell him a damn thing that wasn't imperative and Jasper knew that putting forth any effort to find them would be pointless because Peter would know and move them somewhere else.

So, instead of sulking, he did what he was supposed to; focus on and figure out what he truly wanted. It only took once thinking of anyone but Bella in his life to know that was impossible. The mere thought made him ill. Once that was figured out without any doubt, the rest came pretty easy.

A slight breeze blew through the trees, Jasper's eyes sliding closed at the scent of his mate on the air, a purr in his throat. He basked in the aroma for a moment until the watch on his wrist beeped, his eyes snapping open. That was it, time was up. Twisting the throttle on his bike, Jasper revved the engine and shot up the drive to where his mate was waiting.

The moment he saw her it was like the last year never happened, like she hadn't been gone. Pulling to a stop, Jasper cut the engine but didn't dismount. From the corner of his eye he saw Peter standing next to Bella with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, but it was secondary to his mate. She had his full attention. She was bouncing on the tips of her toes, a wide grin on her face and her red eyes bright as the sun.

When Jasper finally got off his bike, Peter took a half step in front of Bella, keeping her at bay until one thing was confirmed. He cocked a brow at his sire, his head turned a little to the side. He didn't need to say a word, knowing that Jasper knew what the unspoken question was. All Jasper did was nod once slowly, locking eyes with Peter and that was that. Both sides were convinced they were finally on the same page and they were going to stay that way.

The moment Peter moved out of her way, Bella was down the steps and in Jasper's arms, a giggle sounding into the yard as she was spun in a circle. Jasper held her close and tight to his chest, both of them breathing in the other's scent like their lives hung in the balance.

The reunion lasted an eternity but it was over all too soon for them as well. Jasper set Bella back on her feet, looking down at her as she looked at him through her lashes. She had an uncertainty in her that he could understand. He didn't need his gift to know that. He didn't even need his nose to smell it. It was in her eyes.

In them he saw every memory, every moment since Bella's rebirth run through the bloody depths, corresponding emotions making his head spin. They had come a long way in the last two and a half years, and they still had a way to go until things were right between them. However, for the first time in all that time, the eternity in front of them looked a lot brighter than their cloud shrouded past.

Neither one said a word to the other, both knowing it wasn't needed. Though they were not going to forget the path of their past, they weren't going to dwell on it either. What happened then had no bearing on the now. They both changed. They both grew over their time apart. They were both stronger from the separation. Bella learned that she was more than what she had become. Jasper learned that he didn't have to have total control.

As they continued to stare at eachother, they both saw what it was they wanted most. Jasper saw nothing but perfection in Bella and Bella saw the love she desired in Jasper's eyes.

Off to the side, completely forgotten in the moment of reconnection, Peter watched with that same cocky, shit eating grin in place. What he saw when he looked at the pair was what the new world was going to need. He saw the man he has always seen as a God rise from the ashes of icy flames and the Goddess that was always buried deep within his daughter emerge to take her place at his side. From the moment he had first laid eyes on Isabella in that bar he knew what she destined for. All it took was being pushed to the brink of sanity and to be saved by the same one that did it to her.

Every choice and every action had a consequence, be it big or small. As he continued to watch two of the most important people to him face their own, he took a moment to wonder what the ones on the horizon were. There were huge changes coming in the very near future. The only thing left to figure out was...

Could they handle the consequence of change?

 ***X***

 **And there it is... in all it's fucked up glory.**

 **If you wanna, put this on your alerts. I have been working on something, and once I finish Soulless, this story will see a... erm... surprise.**

 **See ya then!**

 **~Speklez**


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